Gruesome violence against Muslims accused of blasphemy in Pakistan reignited calls in mid-April for amending blasphemy statutes commonly used to persecute Christians.
The lynching of a Muslim student over blasphemy charges at a university in northwestern Pakistan, the murder of a blasphemy accused Muslim in Punjab Province and mob violence against a mentally-challenged Muslim on similar accusations have compelled officials at high levels to call for changes in the widely condemned statutes.
The National Assembly passed a resolution calling for amendments to the blasphemy law to include strong safeguards to help prevent its misuse. At the same time, the Senate called for amendments to the statutes to provide punishments to those who concoct blasphemy accusations against others.
A mob of several hundred students and university employees murdered Mashal Khan, a 23-year-old university student, on trumped-up charges that he had blasphemed. The killing took place in the presence of police, with cell phone video showing officers facilitating the religiously-motivated attack.
Police investigations later determined that Khan had not committed blasphemy, and that the university administration had plotted the mob violence against its own student for publicly criticising the institution.
