Millions of Pakistanis receive blasphemy warning texts on their devices.

Millions of Pakistanis receive blasphemy warning texts on their devices. (ET).

ISLAMABAD: 

Millions of Pakistanis have been receiving text messages from the government warning them against sharing “blasphemous” content online.


“Uploading & sharing of blasphemous content on Internet is a punishable offense under the law. Such content should be reported on info@pta.gov.pk for legal action,” read the SMS sent by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to all mobile phone subscribers.


A similar note was posted on the agency’s website in Urdu. A PTA spokesperson said the agency was acting on a court order.

Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in the country, with allegations leading to dozens of mob attacks or murders.

Last week a 10-year old boy was killed and five others were wounded when a mob attacked a police station in an attempt to lynch a Hindu man charged with blasphemy for allegedly posting an incendiary image on social media.

Video - The Glazov Gang-Canada’s Surrender to Islamic Blasphemy Laws?

Islamic Human rights are NOT Equal to Western Human rights, their 'Human rights' are subjected to Sharia law, Criticism of Islam is NOT allowed.

Articles 24 and 25 of the Cairo Declaration explicitly state that:

"All the rights and freedoms stipulated in this Declaration are subject to the Islamic Shari’ah", and:

"The Islamic Shari’ah is the only source of reference for the explanation or clarification to any of the articles of this Declaration."

Pakistan: 'No review of blasphemy law': Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs.

Pakistan: 'No review of blasphemy law': Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs.(Mnnonline).

Earlier this week, various reports surfaced saying that a Senate committee in Pakistan wanted to examine the blasphemy law and perhaps add checks and balances so the law is less abused.

However, since word got out about re-examining the blasphemy law, Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, released a statement refuting the rumor.

Brother Ray with Voice of the Martyrs, Canada explains, “He said they have turned down all the news regarding the change in the blasphemy law. Various news agencies had been circulating on social media and news reports that were released that the government is likely to change the existing blasphemy law. [Yousef] said, ‘We have no plan to diversify or modify the blasphemy law.’

He said, ‘The present democratic government is fully determined and affirms to implement the existing law in true spirit. It has no concoction to make any change in the blasphemy law.’”

The blasphemy law has led to the imprisonment of many Pakistani Christians and religious minorities. Anyone who is accused of insulting Islam faces a potential death sentence.

“Over the years, we’ve worked with several blasphemy cases in the country and, without a doubt, Christians have really been abused by this law. We have seen many fine believers who have been thrown in jail. Asia Bibi, probably one of the most highlighted cases, in the last seven years she’s been in prison,” says Brother Ray.

“Also, there are countless others we have worked with over the years that, because Muslims are jealous because they’re being blessed in their businesses or things like this, they would take a page of the Koran or verses of the Koran, they would burn it and throw it in front of their shop, and then accuse these people of blasphemy. Then while these business owners were going through months and months (if not years) of court cases, the Muslims would take over their businesses and shut them down, take their properties, all kinds of devious things they have done because of the situation with the blasphemy law.”


Although there have been several abuses of the blasphemy law, Brother Ray says there are Pakistani Muslims who recognize the abuses and oppose it. Read the full story here.

You can also click here to check out persecution and prayer alerts with Voice of the Martyrs, Canada to stay up to date on the persecuted Church around the world.

Islamweb.net Issued Fatwa On Hacking Anti-Islam Websites: “It Is A Legitimate And Blessed Act”

Islamweb.net Issued Fatwa On Hacking Anti-Islam Websites: “It Is A Legitimate And Blessed Act” HT :Memri.

Salam alaikum wa rahmatAllah wa barakatuhu, As I often google islamic pictures for my Blog I often see anti-islamic websites, but yesterday I came to a website (http://thereligionofpeace.com/-the politically incorrect truth about islam one really messed up religion) and it is by far the worst and most slanderous website about Islam and Rasul Allah, sal Allahu alayhi wa salam, that I have ever seen. I got very angry about those lies on that website and sent that link to fellow Muslims and asked if they know someone who can bring it down. I do not know if what I did was ok or maybe haram, but what shocked me even more and made me even more angry was, that only one sister also became upset. All the others reacted relaxed and unconcerned, they did not care and said things like "Allah is the Best Planner" and one should be patient. 

On May 22, 2012, Islamweb.net posted Fatwa No. 179907, in response to the question, “I am against hacking and stealing private information from people, but would it be Islamically allowed to hack a website and stop it from spreading lies about Islam, or did I commit a sin and have to repent? Is it okay for a Muslim to not get upset, angry or displeased in any way when seeing such tremendous slander, and is it wrong from my side to become angry and upset?”

The answer given was: “As regards [to] destroying the existing sites on the Internet that are attacking Islam, defaming it, and inventing slanders and lies against it, then this is something required, and it is a legitimate and blessed act.”

Should the UN play a leading role in regulating Freedom of expression in the media?

Should the UN play a leading role in regulating Freedom of expression  in the media? (Aawsat). By AmirTaheri

Geneva – “Should the United Nations play a leading role in countering hate speech and expressions of “violent extremism” in the media?”

This was the question debated by a special panel at the Palace of the Nations, the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva on Monday under the auspices of UNESCO’s liaison office.

Some fireworks were introduced into the debate by the panelist Amir Taheri who was the last to speak.

Recalling the 1970s and 1980s when “some powers” tried to use UNESCO as a vehicle for imposing control on the media across the globe, Taheri said he was “always deeply suspicious” of international organizations trying to legislate a one-size-fits-all scheme to regulate freedom of expression.

“In the bad old days, the move in that direction was called The New World Information and Communication Order (NWICO), a brainchild of the Soviet bloc in the context of the Cold War,” Taheri said.

“The architects of that scheme proposed to issue UNESCO media permits for journalists across the globe and impose rules binding on all member states. In other words they wanted to fence us in by pretending they were protecting us."

“Today, anyone trying to revive that monster would be laughed out of the room,” Taheri said. “Nevertheless, we have to remain vigilant against any attempt at media control via the UN or UNESCO.

A majority of the members of the UN are states that cannot be regarded as lobbyists of press freedom, to say the least. To ask them to regulate the media with the pretext of controlling hate speech is to give them a license to intensify their system of censorship.”

Taheri claimed that the UN has not succeeded to define “peace” or “terrorism” after decades of debate and would not be able to define the word “hate” either and thus cannot pretend to regulate the media in the name of “combating hate speech.”


“Any talk of regulating freedom of speech puts us on a slippery slope that could lead to censorship curtailing freedom of expression which is a basic human right,” Taheri said. “My message to you on behalf of journalists everywhere is simple: don’t fence us in!”  Read the full story here.

PAKISTAN - Appeal court trial for Christian couple sentenced to death for blasphemy.

PAKISTAN - Appeal court trial for Christian couple sentenced to death for blasphemy. (Fides).

Lahore - An appeal has been filed to the Court of Appeal and the first hearing will take place in May regarding a Christian couple Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar.

This was reported to Fides by the team of lawyers of the "Farrukh Saif Foundation", Pakistani organization that has taken on the legal defense of the couple. The two were of accused of sending blasphemous text messages and were sentenced to death in 2014.

On July 20, 2013, the Christian couple, from Gojra, in Punjab, were accused of sending blasphemous text messages and were later arrested.

"The text messages were written in English but both of the accused were uneducated and incapable of writing proper Urdu let alone English", note the lawyers.

Shafqat is also confined to a wheelchair due to an accident in 2004 that resulted in him suffering a spinal injury.

The local police proceeded to torture him in front of his wife. He pleaded for mercy while the police continued in their attempts to extract a confession from him.

On 4 April 2014 the couple were given death "although the police failed to recover any mobile phone or SIM card allegedly registered in Shagufta’s name", refer the lawyers. The only evidence produced by the local police was the receipt from the phone company.

"Addition Sessions judge succumbed to Islamist pressure and handed down the death sentence", reaffirm the lawyers. The whole trial was concluded inside the boundary walls of the prison due to fears for the couple’s security. The couple have four children and activists of the "Farrukh Saif Foundation" are taking care of them.

"The blasphemy law, misused, has put hundreds of members of minority communities behind bars. The law is grossly abused to target minorities", say the lawyers of the "Farrukh Saif Foundation" to Fides. "In most cases, people are falsely and maliciously accused, just for personal revenge" they conclude. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 27/04/2016)