A court in Punjab has sentenced a father and his son to lifetime imprisonment for allegedly tearing down a poster in a gathering to mark the birthday of Prophet Mohammad. Mohammad Shafi, the 45-year-old father is himself a mosque prayer leader. This is the first blasphemy conviction since the assassination of Punjab governor Salman Taseer by his bodyguard due to his support for the reform of the blasphemy law.
Hopes have been raised that Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christain sentenced to death in Punjab for blasphemy, may soon be pardoned. The minorities minister said he was optimistic about her release and the local governor said he put forth a petition to President Zardari. Yet, even if Bibi receives a pardon after 18 months in prison, the blasphemy law will likely be retained. Critics claim the law is used to terrorise Pakistan’s minorities. In this case, Muslim women refused to drink water brought by an “unclean” Christian before an altercation took place