PAKISTANI Catholics and Protestants have decided to postpone the protest marches against that country’s blasphemy law after Islamic parties also decided to hold a general strike to oppose any amendment to the law.
Fearing clashes and violence by Islamic parties that favor the stringent blasphemy law, the country’s Christians have postponed the marches scheduled earlier on Dec 24 and 31.
The proposal to postpone the events came in the forum titled ‘Christmas and the state of Christians in Pakistan’ recently held in Lahore by Catholic bishops and representatives of the Protestant community.
However, the decision to postpone the marches does not stop the calls and proposals for an amendment of the blasphemy law. Christian leaders have drawn up a revision of the law providing for the condemnation of the accusers should the accused be proven innocent.
In the Muslim-majority country, Christmas celebrations are tolerated since Dec 25 also happens to be the birthday of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.
