Lawrence Walker's video: Thousands in Pakistan Protest For Blasphemy Laws - PressTV

Pakistanis rally over blasphemy law , Muhammad Toori, Tens of thousands of people in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi took to the streets to protest proposed amendments to the country's blasphemy law. Many were carrying banners in support of the man who shot dead Punjab governor Salman Taseer over his views favoring an amendment of the law. Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman whose party quite the ruling coalition late last year said the slain governor of Punjab was himself responsible for his assassination because he stood with the derogators of Prophet Muhammad. The million-march behind me is a clear message to the people in the power corridor that they will never tolerate any amendment to the blasphemy law and they are demanding immediate release of Mumtaz Qadri's family members. Controversy over the law flared when Sherry Rehman, a former information minister and a senior PPP member, tabled a bill in November seeking to end the death penalty for blasphemy. This came as a court in Punjab sentenced to death a Christian woman for insulting Prophet Muhammad . Pakistan has not executed anyone for blasphemy and most of those convicted have seen their sentences overturned or commuted on appeal through the courts. The law has raise concerns among rights activists and some liberal politicians who say it is often exploited by extremists or those who want to settle personal scores and that is used against minorities in the country. The demonstrators chanted slogans against the government officials including the slain Governor of Panjab Salman Taseer, who wanted this law to be repealed. And while people were rallying in Karachi Christian groups held memorial services in the Punjab cities of Lahore and the capital Islamabad to honor the assassinated governor Salman Taseer. Although the government has made it clear that it would not support reform of the blasphemy law, these demonstrators want assurances from premier Gilani that the government would abandon the bill.