LAHORE – Strongly condemning the recommendations of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) for amendments in blasphemy laws, lawyers said that the society’s peace and harmony would vanish if such illogical amendments are approved and implemented in the country. The lawyers said they would challenge the amendments being proposed by the CII in blasphemy laws, and termed it as a malicious attempt to remove the blasphemy laws in the country. Khatm-e-Nabuwat Lawyers Pakistan (KNLP) organised a meeting where scores of lawyers condemned the amendments proposed the CII. They said blasphemy laws are not misused as there is a strong judicial system in the country. President over the meeting, KNLP president Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry said a lobby is working on the agenda of removing anti-blasphemy laws in the country. He pointed out the laws were made for all the citizens beyond their religious or political affiliation. Chaudhry contended that no death penalty was executed against any accused either Muslim or non-Muslim since after the laws came into existence. He further argued if the recent suggested amendments are promulgated by the government, there would be more deterioration of peace and harmony among the citizens on such issues. “The people instead of lodging their FIRs in police stations would take law in their hands,” he said, adding such illogical amendments are not possible to be implemented. Another lawyer Advocate Muhammad Maqbool said there are blasphemy laws in most of the countries and no state allows its citizens to disgrace religion and major symbols of religions. In India, he said no one is allowed to disgrace any Church, religious books or temples, and if any one is found guilty, a proper trial is initiated against him/her in the courts. Religious harmony is the beauty of any state, said Maqbool quoting example of the United Kingdom where people of different faiths are living but laws are implemented with letter and spirit for their welfare. The lawyers, at the end of the meeting, unanimously said they are united against all such biased and illogical amendments in blasphemy laws and would challenge them in the courts if approved by the government.

“The Nation” Lahore