ICC Note: A Pakistani judge recently advised that five of the provisions in the country’s blasphemy law be re-examined in an effort to promote religious equality. He stated that these amendments that he proposed will bring the blasphemy law more in line with Pakistan’s Constitution. As it is now, the blasphemy law enables a significant amount of the persecution that Christians, and other religious minorities, face in Pakistan. The law is strict, and it is often misapplied, either unintentionally or maliciously, and used for discriminatory purposes.  The religious tensions in Pakistan have been on the rise recently, and this judge has recommended that action be taken by the government to revise the blasphemy law to encourage religious tolerance and prosecute those who illegally persecute minorities, such as Christians.

08/18/2016, Pakistan (Christian Times) – A Pakistani judge recommended revisions of at least five provisions of the country’s blasphemy law to safeguard the law from misuse and ensure equality among all religions.

According to Barnabas Fund, a religious organization that exposes cases of Christian persecution worldwide, a one-man tribunal, also a former judge of the Lahore High Court, sought to place the current blasphemy law in line with Article 25 of the Constitution by revisiting five of its provisions.

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