London: February 4, 2011. (PCP) CLAAS is extremely disappointed with the decision of Sherry Rehman to abandon a Bill proposing changes to Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. Rehman had been under intense pressure from Muslim hardliners over her Bill proposing to remove the death penalty from Section 295 (C) of the Pakistani Penal Code, the section criminalising blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad. Last month, the Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, was murdered by his own body guard because of his support for reform and Rehman admitted to the BBC that she had received death threats over her Bill. Her own party, the PPP, repeatedly distanced itself from the Bill, insisting that it was the proposal of Rehman alone. This week, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said he had spoken to Rehman and that she had agreed to withdraw her Bill. Rehman contests this but nonetheless said in a statement to the press that she would accept the position of her Prime Minister and party, which at present is unwilling to consider changes to the law. She stated: “There was never any question of withdrawing the bill as the Speaker had never admitted it on the agenda. Had it appeared on the agenda perhaps some of our colleagues would have understood that it was not suggesting repeal of the law, but protecting our Holy Prophet’s (pbuh) name against injustices done via procedures introduced by Ziaul Haq. “No Muslim would expect not to protect the Holy Prophet’s (pbuh) name, and no Pakistani would ever suggest anything other than that. “The changes I had submitted were simple: that people be given a chance to prove their innocence like in all laws, and that cases be tried at the Higher courts, that penalties be given according to the Quran, and that no one who makes false charges in the name of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) who swore always to defend the innocent and the vulnerable go unpunished.” There is now very little hope for an improvement in the situation of Pakistan’s already persecuted Christian minority. Despite the bleak situation at present, CLAAS is committed to continue with its efforts to see a change to the blasphemy law so that it is no longer misused by Islamic extremists to harass Christians. Nasir Saeed, Coordinator of CLAAS UK, said: “We are very disappointed by Sherry Rehman’s decision to abandon her Bill. The Pakistani government has proved itself incapable of seeking equal rights for religious minorities and unwilling to work towards amending the draconian blasphemy law. It is sadly a sign of how far from democratic values and religious tolerance Pakistan is. “Persecuted Christians in Pakistan deserve to be heard and they deserve the rights enjoyed by others in their own country. We will continue to put pressure on the Pakistani government to change this law and its unfair application.”