Will Pakistan ever follow? on October 13, 2014Recently, Irish Minister Aodhan O Riordain told the Irish parliament to announce a referendum to remove the blasphemy law from the Irish constitution. It was last used in 1855. Although no date has been announced for the prospective referendum, the government’s inclination to reach such a decision is a big step in itself. There is […]
Time to honour Jinnahs August 11 speech on August 14, 2014We commemorated Pakistan’s Independence Day on August 14. Pakistanis always celebrate this day with passion and dedication but this year the PML-N government announced a celebration of independence spread over 30 days and have organised several events. I hope the month-long celebrations bring some changes, especially to the mindset of politicians who, instead of making […]
Destined to fail on July 22, 2014When the ex-Chief Justice (CJ) of Pakistan, Tassaduq Husain Jillani, ordered the constitution of a Council for Minorities’ Rights (CMR), Christians were relieved and proud of the decision, believing that someone was finally caring about them. Their hopes were raised and they believed the time had come for their wounds to be healed and tears […]
The tyranny of Pakistans blasphemy laws on May 14, 2014The recent assassination of lawyer and prominent human rights defender, Rashid Rehman Khan, has once again shaken many, especially those who believe in humanity and human rights, not only in Pakistan, but throughout the world. It also reminds us how this draconian law continues to claim the lives of innocent people. Khan was representing a […]
Death to the blasphemer, death to human rights on December 10, 2013The issue of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws has always been alive in public discourse and an attraction for the media not only in Pakistan but internationally too. Now, it will reverberate even more through the corridors of power after the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) ordered the Pakistan government to remove the option of life imprisonment for […]
Inter-religious marriage Another way of building peace on July 17, 2013Wasim Akram’s engagement to 30-year-old Australian Shaniera Thompson has created quite a buzz in the media. Akram’s first wife, Huma Wasim, died in 2009 and Akram says he never thought he would get married again but is feeling “lucky and very happy” to have found love a second time. Apparently, he even got down on […]
Challenging Pakistans blasphemy laws takes courage on July 13, 2013It is very unfortunate that during his recent visit to the UK Paul Bhatti said Pakistan’s blasphemy laws were not a problem. Bhatti is the brother of the late Shahbaz Bhatti, the heroic Pakistani minorities’ minister who was tragically murdered by extremists because he dared to criticise Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. In an address at the […]