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Pak activists' concern over draconian blasphemy laws | | Pakistan has released the Christian girl accused of committing blasphemy from jail, but the activists are concerned about the inaction of the government to reform the stringent blasphemy laws. Activists seeking to reform Pakistan's blasphemy laws had hoped the case of 14-year-old Rimsha Masih would spur public debate and government action toward amending the laws. However, that has not happened yet, and the girl's release may cause the spotlight to fade, reports the Christian Science Monitor. "Even though we are happy that the child is now reunited with her parents, I am unhappy about the public face the government put on during the ordeal. The state did not come with any long term resolve to stop the abuse of blasphemy laws, and the debate does not even seem to go in that direction," said Peter Jacob, head of one of the largest minority rights' activist groups in Pakistan. The blasphemy laws, which date back to the colonial times in South Asia, were carried forward in the constitution by Pakistani authorities after the country's independence in 1947. In the 1980s, draconian amendments to the laws by a military dictator were introduced, to the extent that anyone found guilty of committing blasphemy can be punished for life, and in severe cases, with a death sentence, the report said. "The text of the law has problems but even if that is changed, it is the mindset of society that needs to be changed. Until and unless the state divorces itself from religion, and becomes secular, persecution of minorities will continue to happen," said Marvi Sirmed, a social activist, who has been threatened many times over her strong secular views. "No one wants to talk about the reforms openly. It is just a few people who are asking for it to be repealed. And they are being killed one by one. First it was Salmaan Taseer, then the minorities' minister - Shahbaz Bhatti. Tomorrow it will be me, and one day there will be no one left to stand up against the abuse," said Sirmed. Pakistan has registered nearly 1,000 blasphemy cases since 1986, with 180 of those against Christians and hundreds more against other religious minorities.
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