Mainstream Pakistani Islamic Groups Praise Assassin of Governor and Warn Others That They Would Be Killed For Opposing Blasphemy Prosecutions

The mainstream Islamic organizations have rallied in response to the assassination of of Salman Taseer, governor of Punjab province by one of his bodyguards. However, they are not rallying to denounce the killing but to celebrate it because Taseer had stood up against the country’s notorious blasphemy laws. Islamic leaders warned people not to mourn his death and warned other politicians that they could face the same fate if they tried to curtail blasphemy prosecutions. In the meantime, his killer, Mumtaz Qadri was showered with rose petals and kisses by supporters in court.

Five hundred Pakistani religious scholars issued a threat to anyone who considers mourning Taseer or supporting the campaign against blasphemy laws. For we have shown on this blog numerous times (here and here), those laws are used to persecute religious minorities. As noted in this prior column, the Obama Administration yielded to pressure from Muslim countries to support an international blasphemy law.

Taseer had called for justice for a Christian woman sentenced to death under the blasphemy laws. These “scholars” praised the killer — establishing the depths of their own hypocrisy and immorality. They clearly believe that murder is sanctioned by God as is the use of terroristic threats in the name of piety.

Source: Reuters

Jonathan Turley