SIR – Former Lord Mayor of Bradford Mohammed Ajeeb (pictured), as reported by Jim Greenhalf (T&A, January 7), is rightly appalled by the rapidly deteriorating situation in Pakistan.
I fully accept his sense of horror at what is happening, as well as his call to accept that these problems are not the fault of some outside agency, such as the USA.
I would differ from him, though, when he says: “The people of Pakistan have got to show they have sufficient tolerance to use the law, not take the law into their own hands”.
On the contrary, it is the law itself which is the problem. These people are using the vicious “blasphemy law” to pursue their evil ends.
This law is itself the source of so much evil, including the recent assassination of Salman Taseer, and the death threat hanging of the Christian woman, Aasia Bibi (and the fatwa hanging over Shahbaz Bhatti, the Minister for Minorities).
The progress in civil liberties, which Mr Ajeeb wishes for must involve, first of all, the repeal of this law, which gives free reign to bigots in pursuing their totalitarian agenda. Pakistan needs courageous people at this time.
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