Government asked to avoid hurting sentiments

Religious parties on Wednesday called upon the government to review their attitudes towards blasphemy laws and refrain from hurting sentiments of Muslims, and also asked the government to reject the proposed amendments to the law tabled by PPP MNA Sherry Rehman.
JUI-F secretary-general Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri said the governor showed extreme carelessness while talking on religious issues, adding that the federal government was responsible for taking the situation to this extent. "The murder of the governor could have been averted had the government offered timely explanation of any proposed amendment to blasphemy laws and the late governor withdrew his highly objectionable remarks," he said.
Another JUI-F leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed termed the incident tragic, saying that rule of the law was necessary and nobody should take law into his hands. He regretted that both sides had shown extremism that resulted in the tragic incident. JUP chief Sahabzada Abu Al-Khair Zubair, who is also convenor of the "Tehrik-e-Tahafooz-e-Namoos-e-Resalat" said that either Sherry Rehman should take the proposed amendments to the blasphemy laws back or Speaker National Assembly reject it to avoid such incidents in future.
He further said he had talked with leaders of various religious component parties of the "Tehrik-e-Tahafooz-e-Namoos-e-Resalat" including Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, Syed Munawar Hassan, Allama Sajid Naqvi, Professor Sajid Mir, Peer Attique-ur-Rehman and Professor Munib-ur-Rehman on telephone and they decided to meet in Karachi on January 8 to discuss Tehrik's future course of action.
Our Lahore correspondent adds: Syed Munawwar Hassan, Ameer Jamaat-i-Islami, has said that Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer's murder was the net result of obstructing the process of the Blasphemy Law and Salmaan Taseer was himself responsible for his death.
He said that Salmaan Taseer, despite occupying a high government office, openly showed disrespect to Blasphemy Law and continued to support a woman convicted of blasphemy. He met the culprit in jail and later at a press conference he announced that he would make a clemency plea to President for her. This announcement was made at a time when the lower court judgement was subject to appeal before the High Court and the Supreme Court, according to him.