Speak no evil: the grip of religious extremism on Pakistan’s political culture

March 3rd, 2011

Pakistan’s blasphemy law is a tool for persecution and its tyranny reflects the grip of religious extremism on political culture, says Kamila Shamsie, in the upcoming issue of the Index on Censorship magazine

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Pakistan: Minister for minorities assassinated

March 2nd, 2011

Shahbaz Bhatti, the minister for religious minorities has been assassinated . Bhatti, a Christian, was a vocal opponent of the controversial blasphemy law and had repeatedly asked for it to be reformed. Pamphlets found at the scene of his killing warned of a similar fate for anyone opposed to the blasphemy law. His killing comes barely two months after Salman Taseer was killed for calling the law to be amended.