Pak religious parties warn Govt not to repeal blasphemy law - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Pakistan's religious parties have warned the government that they will not accept any amendment in the country's existing blasphemy law. Pakistan's blasphemy law forbids-damaging a place of worship or a sacred object, outraging religious feelings, defiling the Quran and defaming Prophet Mohammed. Two prominent parties, the Jamaat Ahl-e-Hadith Pakistan and the Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Haqooq Ahl-e-Sunnat, on Saturday organised religious conventions to condemn any possible move by the government to repeal the law. The Daily Times quoted Jamaat Ahl-e-Hadith Pakistan chief Hafiz Abdul Guffar Ropari, as saying that the Asif Ali Zardari government must not amend the law "if it wants to remain in power". The party said those who believed in Islam would come out onto the streets if a single change were made. The Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Haqooq Ahl-e-Sunnat also organised a similar conference, and its central leadership criticized the Pakistan government for sending the Blasphemy Act to a National Assembly standing committee for revision. Earlier, the Pakistan Government had hinted at the re-examination of the blasphemy law so that incidents like Gojra's anti-Christian riots could be prevented. Nine people- including four women and a child -were killed in anti-Christian riots in Gojra in August. Christian homes were burnt after unsubstantiated accusations that some of them had desecrated the holy Quran.