On the tactics of blasphemy - Ashrafi's deceptive charm offensive

Tahir Ashrafi (left) with other Muslim extremist leaders

Three articles were brought to BPCA's attention recently.  The first two were articles in the New Pakistan online newspaper by Mahmood Adeel, and ably express why we should be very sceptical about the words of Tahir Ashrafi, the Islam(icist) spokesperson and leader who is widely quoted as being in support of Rimsha.  Basically, it says the case against Rimsha was a PR disaster for the Muslim extremist movement and the blasphemy law, and they have recognized this.  So they are making supportive noises about the Rimsha case, talking of justice, of prosecutions on those making false charges, on the need for full and free investigations by the law and order forces, and the need to curb abuses.  This is a PR tactic to try and blunt our and other calls for the blasphemy laws to be massively reformed or abolished.  It is, in short a manipulative charm offensive.

Flight of a flag of false offence

A patriotic family of Christians in Karachi preparing yesterday (8th) for Pakistan's approaching Independence day have paid the price for honouring their nation by false accusations of dishonouring it and blasphemy against Allah.  The whole Christian community in that neighbourhood are threatened with being burned out by Muslim mobs stirred up by hate speech from local mosques.

The family had been washing a Pakistani flag, ready to put it up or hang it out for Independence Day.  Unfortunately it blew away in the wind and landed on a neighbours house.  Even more unfortunately, it was a Muslim neighbour who, leading instantly to claims of blasphemy.  Because the flag had the phrase 'May Allah protect the beloved land' the neighbours had the opportunity not only to claim that the Christians had deliberately thrown it and have disgraced the name of Allah, but they went on to fabricate claims that the Christians had used the flag as a rug, so that they sat on the name of Allah.

There are 15 Christian families in the neighbourhood, known as Qatil Garhi, and after the incident was reported in the local mosques, they are very afraid, because the local Muslims are gathering and using the alleged 'insult' to threaten to burn out all the Christians.

Please pray for them, for peace in every way

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