2011 – in the world of religion and politics, we have seen banning of Muslim “Hijab” in France, Congressional Hearings on “Radicalization of Muslims in America” and various similar acts across the globe; but what I keep coming back to in my mind are the lives lost on account of the Blasphemy Laws in Pakistan.
In January, Pakistan lost it’s Governor of Punjab, Mr. Salman Taseer, because he stood up against laws that were so blatantly anti-Islam; laws that were promulgated and have since been used as a tool to oppress women and minorities. Later in March, Pakistan lost its Federal Minister of Minority Affairs, Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti, to the same fight. I have previously written in attempt to reveal the truth behind these Blasphemy Laws and how they are, in fact, not true to Islam at all.
In Pakistan, from January through to July, there have been eighteen new cases registered under these laws, three life imprisonment sentences awarded, over a dozen harassment cases registered and five lives lost; all the while, only one accused was acquitted. What is more troubling is that these are just the cases that were reported – an immeasurable amount go unreported and possibly end in the loss of lives.
Salman Taseer said “people told me I’m making a mistake and I should back down, but I said no. Today if I don’t stand up, then tomorrow people who think like me won’t be able to.” For this reason, I have chosen people like him and Shahbaz Bhatti as my people of the year. They have been able to draw attention to the long standing injustice that these laws propagate so shamelessly – and all in the garb of a religion that preaches nothing of the sort. It is a shame that these people have had to lose their lives for many to take notice.
Following the death of Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti, government officials in Pakistan were too afraid to attend his funeral services. They were afraid of the clerics that would see their attendance as an agreement with Mr. Bhatti’s stance on the Blasphemy Laws, and in contravention to their beliefs and, therefore, liable to death. The same fears posed as a hurdle for the family of Mr. Salman Tasser when no lawyer was eager to take on his family’s case against his murderer. Many hailed his murderer as a saint and a “warrior of Islam”. I was afraid when their Warrior was sentenced to death – afraid of what the clerics would pull into the streets in retaliation. Although the streets were surprisingly calm, the judge that passed the sentence has had to go into hiding, out of the same fear.
It is this fear that most live in, day in and out. Ever since the inception of these laws, a sect known as the Ahmedi’s have been forbidden to wish the Islamic greeting of peace (“Asalam’o’alaikum” meaking “peace be with you”) as they have been branded non-Muslims. Others are afraid of walking into the wrong mosque or touching the Qur’an incorrectly, for fear of being accused of committing blasphemy.
However, the fear has managed to escape one proud Pakistani. Although the agony did not end for Mr. Taseer’s family with his death, his son having been kidnapped later in the year (his whereabouts are still unknown), Mr. Taseer’s daughter, Shehrbano, has managed to turn this loss into determination. She continues her fathers work and has been awarded the Human Rights Foundation award for Extraordinary Bravery in promoting Human Rights for her campaign against the Blasphemy Laws.
So, although my memories of this year are peppered with Blasphemy cases and a injustice done and lives lost as a direct result of this iniquitous and anti-religious law, the year ends with a hope for a better one to follow. A hope that rests on the shoulders of people like Shehrbano – who, in the face of adversity have shown insurmountable strength.
In her acceptance speech at the Human Rights Foundation, Shehrbano said that those that supported these “draconian laws” did so on the bases of their emotion rather than on fact. My hope is that the facts are highlighted come 2012 and that these facts pave the way to an enlightened approach to the Blasphemy Laws – so that they are finally eradicated and the true meaning of Islam is returned to this Islamic Republic.
