The speaker of Pakistan's Punjab legislative assembly barred a lawmaker from a minority community from speaking on the issue of a Christian woman sentenced to death on charges of blasphemy, prompting other minority legislators to walk out of the House.
The speaker of Pakistan's Punjab legislative assembly barred a lawmaker from a minority community from speaking on the issue of a Christian woman sentenced to death on charges of blasphemy, prompting other minority legislators to walk out of the House.
Joel Amir Sahutra raised a point of order in the assembly yesterday evening, saying that he wanted to speak about the case of Asia Bibi, a 45-year-old mother of five who was sentenced to death after being convicted under a controversial blasphemy law.
Speaker Rana Iqbal Ahmed refused to allow Sahutra to speak on the issue, describing it as "sensitive".
Protesting against the speaker's attitude, legislators belonging to minority communities walked out of the House.
However, when Ali Haider Noor Niazi of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan party began speaking emotionally on the same issue, the speaker did not stop him.
Niazi began shouting within the assembly as he criticised those who were trying to defend the woman.
Niazi criticised Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer for raising his voice in favour of Asia Bibi.
"The governor has no right to make efforts for Asia's pardon," he said.
Niazi was also of the view that those demanding the woman's release are "blasphemers".
Describing Niazi's remarks as "irresponsible," labour minister Ashraf Sohna told the Speaker that the legislator's comments were unwarranted.
Several women legislatures also protested against Niazi's remarks.
Acting on a request from Pakistan People's Party lawmaker Sajida Mir, the speaker sent two members to bring the minority legislators back to the House.
Though they ended their boycott of the proceedings, the minority lawmakers submitted a resolution to the assembly secretariat in which they demanded the formation of a judicial commission to investigate all cases registered under the blasphemy law.
The resolution also demanded the framing of a new law to stop misuse of the blasphemy laws.
Since a lower court in Punjab awarded the death sentence to Asia Bibi last month for committing blasphemy, there have been protests by right wing and religious parties against efforts to urge the president to grant her a pardon.
Religious parties have also organised rallies and demonstrations to protest moves to amend the blasphemy law.
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