After succumbing to the demands of the proscribed radical Islamist group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), which was banned by the government, Prime Minister Imran Khan appears to want to impose Islamic blasphemy laws across the world.

"I want the Muslim countries to devise a joint line of action over the blasphemy issue with a warning of trade boycott of countries where such incidents will happen," Khan said in an address last week, reported The Spectator.

This comes after three days of violent protests last month, where hundreds of protesters and police personnel were injured and thousands of TLP activists and supporters were arrested and booked for attacking law enforcement personnel and blocking main roads and highways in protest against the arrest of their leader Saad Hussain Rizvi.

The banned group had demanded the expulsion of the French ambassador and a boycott of French goods after Charlie Hebdo republished its Muhammad cartoons in September last year.

Several police vehicles were torched, buildings were attacked and policemen were kidnapped and tortured by the activists of the TLP across the Punjab province.

Arab News reported that at least six policemen were killed and over 800 were injured, citing official figures.

While Imran Khan has reminded the TLP of the economic consequences of rushing against France, he has also reassured the group that he shares the `same goals` as them, which was exemplified when the premier presented a resolution in Parliament to expel the French ambassador last week, writes Kunwar Khuldune Shahid for The Spectator.

However, Khan has stopped short of implementing a trade ban given the hundreds of millions worth of aid France gives to Pakistan and the billions worth of trade and aid the country gets from the European Union (EU), instead of exporting Pakistan`s murderous blasphemous laws.

Pakistan is one of 12 Muslim countries where blasphemy is still punishable by death. Hundreds have been on death row in Pakistan for `committing blasphemy` by teaching certain ideas at universities, liking a post on Facebook, or drinking water from a Muslim`s glass.

Earlier last month, two Christian nurses were charged with blasphemy for removing a sticker with an Islamic inscription on it in a Faisalabad hospital ward while in March, the Aurat [Women`s] March in Pakistan has been accused of blasphemy for demanding human rights for women, reported The Spectator.

In 2020, a Muslim woman from the constitutionally excommunicated Ahmadiyya community was arrested for blasphemy after giving charity to a mosque and an Ahmadi man was shot dead in a courtroom during his blasphemy trial.

Shahid wrote that Ahmadi killings and state-backed demolition of their mosques, has continued in 2021, with the likes of the TLP, along with the Pakistan government`s advisory Council of Islamic Ideology, demanding that the Ahmadiyya sect be collectively declared as blasphemers and apostates.

While Khan aggressively clamours against Western Islamophobia, Pakistan continues to conduct its own brutal `Islamophobia` against Ahmadiyya and Shia Islam. Meanwhile, blasphemy against Hinduism continues, with Khan`s ministers openly mocking Hindu deities and around 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls, mostly underage, forcibly converted to Islam each year.

In his quest, the Pakistan PM recently co-founded an `anti-Islamophobia TV channel` in 2019, along with Mahathir Mohamad - who believes Muslims have a right to `kill millions of French` - and Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Though Khan has previously confessed that when living in Pakistan there is a fear associated with talking about `anything perceived to be sacrilegious, it is the same fear he now wants to instil in the West.

After succumbing to the demands of the proscribed radical Islamist group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), which was banned by the government, Prime Minister Imran Khan appears to want to impose Islamic blasphemy laws across the world.

After succumbing to the demands of the proscribed radical Islamist group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), which was banned by the government, Prime Minister Imran Khan appears to want to impose Islamic blasphemy laws across the world. "I want the Muslim countries to devise a joint line of action over the blasphemy issue with a warning of trade boycott of countries where such incidents will happen," Khan said in an address last week, reported The Spectator. This comes after three days of violent protests last month, where hundreds of protesters and police personnel were injured and thousands of TLP activists and supporters were arrested and booked for attacking law enforcement personnel and blocking main roads and highways in protest against the arrest of their leader Saad Hussain Rizvi. The banned group had demanded the expulsion of the French ambassador and a boycott of French goods after Charlie Hebdo republished its Muhammad cartoons in September last year. Several police vehicles were torched, buildings were attacked and policemen were kidnapped and tortured by the activists of the TLP across the Punjab province. Arab News reported that at least six policemen were killed and over 800 were injured, citing official figures. While Imran Khan has reminded the TLP of the economic consequences of rushing against France, he has also reassured the group that he shares the `same goals` as them, which was exemplified when the premier presented a resolution in Parliament to expel the French ambassador last week, writes Kunwar Khuldune Shahid for The Spectator. However, Khan has stopped short of implementing a trade ban given the hundreds of millions worth of aid France gives to Pakistan and the billions worth of trade and aid the country gets from the European Union (EU), instead of exporting Pakistan`s murderous blasphemous laws. Pakistan is one of 12 Muslim countries where blasphemy is still punishable by death. Hundreds have been on death row in Pakistan for `committing blasphemy` by teaching certain ideas at universities, liking a post on Facebook, or drinking water from a Muslim`s glass. Earlier last month, two Christian nurses were charged with blasphemy for removing a sticker with an Islamic inscription on it in a Faisalabad hospital ward while in March, the Aurat [Women`s] March in Pakistan has been accused of blasphemy for demanding human rights for women, reported The Spectator. In 2020, a Muslim woman from the constitutionally excommunicated Ahmadiyya community was arrested for blasphemy after giving charity to a mosque and an Ahmadi man was shot dead in a courtroom during his blasphemy trial. Shahid wrote that Ahmadi killings and state-backed demolition of their mosques, has continued in 2021, with the likes of the TLP, along with the Pakistan government`s advisory Council of Islamic Ideology, demanding that the Ahmadiyya sect be collectively declared as blasphemers and apostates. While Khan aggressively clamours against Western Islamophobia, Pakistan continues to conduct its own brutal `Islamophobia` against Ahmadiyya and Shia Islam. Meanwhile, blasphemy against Hinduism continues, with Khan`s ministers openly mocking Hindu deities and around 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls, mostly underage, forcibly converted to Islam each year. In his quest, the Pakistan PM recently co-founded an `anti-Islamophobia TV channel` in 2019, along with Mahathir Mohamad - who believes Muslims have a right to `kill millions of French` - and Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Though Khan has previously confessed that when living in Pakistan there is a fear associated with talking about `anything perceived to be sacrilegious, it is the same fear he now wants to instil in the West.

Imran Khan seeking to impose Pakistan's murderous blasphemy laws across world

A university professor in Pakistan was handed death sentence under the controversial blasphemy law on Saturday.&nbsp;

Junaid Hafeez was a university professor when he was arrested in March 2013 for allegedly posting derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed on Facebook.

A fine of Rs 3557.07 USD was also imposed on the doctor, along with a sentence to life imprisonment. Under another section of the Pakistan Penal Code, Junaid is given another sentence of 10 years and a fine of Rs 711.41 USD.&nbsp;

Junaid's lawyer Asad Jamal described the verdict as "most unfortunate".&nbsp;

"We will appeal against this verdict," Jamal said.&nbsp;

In conservative Muslim-majority Pakistan, blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue and in many cases, the death sentence was also given. Even unproven claims have also caused mob lynchings and vigilante murders.&nbsp;

The 33-year-old professor's earlier lawyer was killed in 2014 after receiving death threats during a hearing.&nbsp;

Nearly 40 people convicted under this law are on death row in Pakistan, as per a 2018 estimate by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Last year, the acquittal of Asia Bibi, who was facing death row under the Blasphemy law has led to a lot of violent protests in Pakistan. Bibi, a Christian woman who had spent eight years in jail, now lives in Canada with her family.&nbsp;

(with inputs from AFP)

A university professor in Pakistan was handed death sentence under the controversial blasphemy law on Saturday. Junaid Hafeez was a university professor when he was arrested in March 2013 for allegedly posting derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed on Facebook.

A university professor in Pakistan was handed death sentence under the controversial blasphemy law on Saturday. Junaid Hafeez was a university professor when he was arrested in March 2013 for allegedly posting derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed on Facebook. A fine of Rs 3557.07 USD was also imposed on the doctor, along with a sentence to life imprisonment. Under another section of the Pakistan Penal Code, Junaid is given another sentence of 10 years and a fine of Rs 711.41 USD. Junaid's lawyer Asad Jamal described the verdict as "most unfortunate". "We will appeal against this verdict," Jamal said. In conservative Muslim-majority Pakistan, blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue and in many cases, the death sentence was also given. Even unproven claims have also caused mob lynchings and vigilante murders. The 33-year-old professor's earlier lawyer was killed in 2014 after receiving death threats during a hearing. Nearly 40 people convicted under this law are on death row in Pakistan, as per a 2018 estimate by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. Last year, the acquittal of Asia Bibi, who was facing death row under the Blasphemy law has led to a lot of violent protests in Pakistan. Bibi, a Christian woman who had spent eight years in jail, now lives in Canada with her family. (with inputs from AFP)

Pakistan: University professor sentenced to death for blasphemy

A Pakistani Christian was charged with blasphemy on Monday after his Muslim friend alleged he had sent a poem on Whatsapp that insulted Islam, police said. 
 
Yasir Bashir said Nadeem James had sent him a poem on the messaging app that was derogatory about the Prophet Mohammed and other holy figures. 
 
&quot;Police have registered a case on blasphemy charges against Nadeem James and are searching for him as he has fled his home,&quot; a local law enforcement official told AFP on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter. 
 
Another police official said that James&rsquo; relatives had been taken into &quot;protective custody&quot; and that there was increased security in Christian neighbourhoods in the town of Sara-i-Almgeer, around 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of Lahore, because of local tension arising from Bashir&#39;s complaint. 
 
Such allegations can trigger beatings and mob violence in the conservative country, which has strict blasphemy laws including the death penalty for insulting the prophet. 
 
A Christian couple was lynched then burnt in a kiln in Punjab in 2014 after being falsely accused of desecrating the Koran. 
 
Rights campaigners say blasphemy laws are often used to settle personal disputes in the Muslim-majority country. 
 
(AFP)

Nadeem James' Muslim friend alleged that he had sent a poem on Whatsapp that insulted Islam. He has since fled his home, said police

A Pakistani Christian was charged with blasphemy on Monday after his Muslim friend alleged he had sent a poem on Whatsapp that insulted Islam, police said. Yasir Bashir said Nadeem James had sent him a poem on the messaging app that was derogatory about the Prophet Mohammed and other holy figures. "Police have registered a case on blasphemy charges against Nadeem James and are searching for him as he has fled his home," a local law enforcement official told AFP on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter. Another police official said that James’ relatives had been taken into "protective custody" and that there was increased security in Christian neighbourhoods in the town of Sara-i-Almgeer, around 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of Lahore, because of local tension arising from Bashir's complaint. Such allegations can trigger beatings and mob violence in the conservative country, which has strict blasphemy laws including the death penalty for insulting the prophet. A Christian couple was lynched then burnt in a kiln in Punjab in 2014 after being falsely accused of desecrating the Koran. Rights campaigners say blasphemy laws are often used to settle personal disputes in the Muslim-majority country. (AFP)

Pakistani Christian charged with blasphemy over WhatsApp poem