Fides: PAKISTAN - The Commission "Justice and Peace": "the UN envoy is invited to Pakistan, we need to abolish the blasphemy law"

The Justice and Peace Commission of the Pakistani Bishops Conference has invited the UN Special Observer on Religious Tolerance to Pakistan to witness "abuses and violence against religious minorities" and to lobby the Pakistani government to repeal its oft-abused blasphemy law. A 145 page dossier accompanying the invitation details the violence, discrimination and exclusion that Christians and other religious minorities face in Pakistan. It notes that 37 people charged with blasphemy were murdered in extra-judicial killings since 1986, and that 1081 Christians, Muslims, Ahmadis and Hindus have been charged with the crime during this period. Blasphemy charges are often invoked maliciously in the context of personal disputes; read the full Fides report at this link.

Shahbaz Bhatti, Catholic politician murdered March 2, 2011 for speaking out against Pakistan's blasphemy law and in defense of Asia Bibi who was senetenced to death for blasphemy in 2010.