One of Pakistan's top-ranking diplomats, Ambassador to the U.S. Sherry Rehman, is the latest person to be accused of blasphemy in her home country under harsh laws that include a possible death sentence for anyone convicted of defaming the Islamic prophet.

A senior government official in Lahore, provincial capital of Punjab province, confirmed to CBS News that a case of blasphemy had been registered with the police in the city of Multan against Rehman, a former journalist who was assigned to the Washington post in 2011.

The case promises to unleash another clash between conservative Muslims who vehemently back the country's Islamic laws, and those who dare to challenge them as outdated and in need of reform.

The official, who agreed to speak to CBS News on the condition of anonymity as he was not permitted to discuss the details of the case publically, said the case was brought "in response to a private complaint from a businessman."

That businessman, 31-year-old Faheem Gill, accuses Rehman of making blasphemous remarks during a 2010 discussion on a Pakistani television channel. She has openly called for the blasphemy laws to be reformed, and has already faced death threats from Islamic hardliners for doing so.

According to human rights activists, a number of innocent Pakistanis, including Muslims and religious minorities, have been arrested following accusations that they either uttered derogatory words against the prophet Muhammad, or desecrated the Quran, the Islamic holy book. Both actions are considered blasphemous under current Pakistani law
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57570490/pakistans-ambassador-to-u.s-sherry-rehman-accused-of-blasphemy/

exactly what do u want us to do about this?

deols: exactly what do u want us to do about this?

Wrong question.

MacDaddy01:

Wrong question.

what's the right question?

Paschal007: what's the right question?

The right question is to ask
-is the blasphemy law properly applied
-what is the fate of the woman?
-is this fair or right
-what does this do for us-pakistan relations?


Address the topic not challenge the messenger

MacDaddy01:


The right question is to ask
-is the blasphemy law properly applied
-what is the fate of the woman?
-is this fair or right
-what does this do for us-pakistan relations?


Address the topic not challenge the messenger

-maybe not properly applied but can't go around blaspheming against people's revered deities especially where there's no separation from state and religion. Such action may fall under hate speech, defamation which is a criminal offense. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defamation
-face the consequences of her actions.
-punishment might not be fair it's certainly not right to allow hate speech, defamation, etc
-it changes nothing. Us cannot afford to stop flying drones in Pakistan.

Edits:

Paschal007: -maybe not properly applied but can't go around blaspheming against people's revered deities especially where there's no separation from state and religion. Such action may fall under hate speech, defamation which is a criminal offense. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defamation
-face the consequences of her actions.
-punishment might be fair it's certainly not right to allow hate speech, defamation, etc
-it changes nothing. Us cannot afford to stop flying drones in Pakistan.

I dont agree with your comment but you tackled the right isses. Deols can learn from this.


Religion is not a person. I can never support blasphemy laws. But hey, Pakistan wants to be backwards.