Pakistani Intellectuals Again Become Victims of the Blasphemy Law

A professor at a Pakistani university was jailed for blaspheming Islam. But human rights activists believe the indictment is legally flawed and adds to the long list of religious politicizations to silence critical voices.

Sajid Soomro, a Sindhi Literature Professor at Shah Abdul Latif University in Khairpur, Pakistan, was arrested by police on June 10 for blasphemy. He has long been known to be critical of Pakistan's government and influential clerics.

"Sajid writes critically about madrasas, religious beliefs, the concept of heaven and polygamy. He also criticized Pakistan. That is why he was charged with related laws, "said Judge Ali Kalhoro, a local police officer.

However, a number of human rights organizations and opposition politicians have voiced their opinions in relation to blasphemy charges brought in the Soomro case. His legal counsel, Fayaz Khamisani also believes the indictment is legally flawed.

Mute the critical voice

Asad Butt, a member of the Pakistan Human Rights Commission, believes the literary professor was convicted of voicing views that the Islamabad government did not like.

"He attended the funeral of a Sindhi nationalist figure and this was not well received by a circle of power who might want to teach him a lesson," Asad said.

"We believe that if someone has a different political outlook, then he should be invited to dialogue. But using the blasphemy article to silence critical voices can be a disaster, "he added.

The same thing was expressed by the former Chairman of the National Party, Bizenjo Results. The man who now sits in the Pakistani Senate deplored "religious blasphemy charges against intellectuals or authors. We should be able to be more patient with different views. This case has sparked fears among academics to raise healthy debates. "

Support for Sajid was also voiced by Arfana Mallah, another professor at Sindh University. He appealed to the public to protest Sajid's arrest, although he later received death threats.

Eruption of separatism and sectarian violence

Sindh is one of four provinces in Pakistan. This region houses the largest city, Karachi, and is known for its culture which is heavily influenced by Sufism traditions. Sindh also recorded the largest Hindu population in Pakistan and also Shia.

Over the past 15 years, the studies of the ultra-conservatives grew like mushrooms and threatened the harmonious life of the people of Sindh. Sajid Soomro has repeatedly criticized this development and blamed Islamabad for the rise of extremists in Pakistan.

In February 2017, the Islamic State (ISIS) launched a suicide attack on a Sufi temple in the city of Sehwan in Sindh. The attack that killed 72 people was the deadliest act of terror by ISIS in Pakistan.

But stretching extremism does not stop at acts of terror. Local media reported on the rampant practice of forced Islamization of Hindu women in Sindh. As a result, Hindu families in the southern province fled to India.

In reaction to the Sindhi World Congress (WSC), it urged the office of the High Commissioner for UN Human Rights to help stop the practice of forced Islamization of women belonging to minority groups.

Not surprisingly, the insistence of Sindhi nationalist separatists who demand independence from Pakistan is increasingly echoing. Nevertheless the narrative of separatism in Sindhi did not receive much citizen support. It is believed, Sajid Soomro sympathizes with the movement.

Personal revenge in the name of religion

The Blasphemy Law in Pakistan was born from the womb of British colonialism which was later adopted by the government of the military junta under General Zia ul-Haq in 1977 and 1988. The legislation threatened death penalty for those who defamed the Prophet Muhammad or the Koran.

Since then hundreds of residents have been jailed because they are considered against religion. So far Pakistan has not executed the convicts of blasphemy. Most death sentences were corrected to prison sentences in the appeal process at higher institutions.

Law activists have long demanded amendments to the controversial law. These activists' claims depart from the grim phenomenon, namely the widespread use of religious defamation laws to resolve personal matters between citizens or as an act of personal revenge.

A study conducted by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Netherlands in 2015 revealed that more than 80% of court sentences related to the Blasphemy Law were dropped in the appeal process, due to the emergence of new evidence or false testimony based on "personal or political revenge intent."

The ICJ report also revealed 702 religious blasphemy charges against minorities in Pakistan. The number represents 52% of all cases of blasphemy. A few months ago, a Hindu teacher was dragged to prison for being accused of insulting Islam.

The Asia Bibi case is by far the most striking. The Christian Pakistani girl was sentenced to death in 2010 after being accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad. The verdict was dismissed by the Supreme Court because of the plaintiff's "doubt on the testimony".

As a result hardliners demonstrated throughout the country demanding the lives of Asia Bibi. He then fled to Canada and built a life with a new identity. Pakistani Islamists have promised to look for him wherever he is hiding.

Source: dw