Pak clerics warn of protests if blasphemy laws are amended

RAWALPINDI - Religious parties in Pakistan have warned that they will launch a movement called the Tehreek Namoos-e-Risalat (TNR), if the government moves to amend the country’s blasphemy laws.

Talking to reporters here after attending an all parties Namoos-e-Risalat conference here on Sunday, Markazi Jamaat Ahle Sunnat Ameer Pir Atiqur Rehman said that Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP) President Dr Abul Khair Muhammad Zubair had been nominated as the convener of the newly formed group.

The Daily Times quoted him, as saying further that a six-member action committee, comprising Liaqat Baloch, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, Abdul Rauf Farooqi, Sikandar Abbas Gillani and Maulana Muhammad Abbas, had been formed to evolve the TNR’s future strategy.

“The purpose of the meeting was to convey a message to the government that the nation would not tolerate any type of amendment in the blasphemy law, especially in the article 295-C of the constitution,” Dr. Dr Abul Khair Zubair, a religious leader, said.

“The future strategy will be evolved in a meeting to be held in Islamabad on December 15,” he added.

Dr Zubair further said that the heads of all the five Wafaqul Madaris (religious educational boards) had also ratified the outcome of the conference.

Syed Munawar Hassan, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Professor Sajid Mir, Allama Sajid Naqvi, Mufti Muneebur Rehman, Dr Abul Khair Zubair, Pir Atiqur Rehman, Hamidul Haq Haqqani, Liaqat Baloch, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, Abdul Rauf Farooqi, Sikandar Abbas Gillani and Maulana Muhammad Abbas attended the conference. (ANI)