Malik rules out changes to blasphemy laws
LAHORE: Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik says there will be no change to blasphemy laws.
Speaking to reporters after condoling Governor Salmaan Taseer`s death with his family here on Wednesday, he claimed that the government had already made it clear that it had no intention to change the blasphemy laws.
He said the government would ensure fair investigation into the murder of Taseer and a report in this regard would be made public.
He said the investigation into the murder of Benazir Bhutto had been completed and would soon be presented at the PPP`s central executive committee meeting. APP Adds:
The interior minister said the government would leave no stone unturned to probe the assassination of Taseer and expose the mastermind of the plot.
He said a thorough investigation had been initiated to expose the real factors behind the assassination.
Malik said: “Killer Mumtaz Qadri`s previous job record and the contact numbers saved in his mobile phone are being examined, and a number of his companions and associates have been arrested.”
He said he would not give any statement, which may affect the investigation process, adding that top investigators and senior officers were probing the inhuman act.
He said a joint investigation team, comprising the personnel of the ISI, IB, FIA and Punjab police, had been tasked with the job of unearthing the real factors behind the murder of Taseer. He said he had also directed the Islamabad police to coordinate with the inquiry team.
He said the joint investigation team was also examining the factors which led the killer to such a barbaric act.
He said it was still a myth that such an incident occurred despite the fact that Federal Minister Khurshid Shah and he himself had made a clear statement that no amendment would be made in the Blasphemy Act.
He said the government would order a judicial inquiry if the bereaved family was not satisfied with the findings of the joint investigation team.
Malik urged the ulema belonging to different schools of thought to discourage the trend of religious hatred. “Anti-state elements don`t want Pakistan to be a peaceful country, therefore, they resort to creating chaos in society through such tactics,” he said.
The interior minister said the government would make psychiatry test of all candidates mandatory in the recruitment process of security personnel to check their mental health and leanings.
Source: Dawn
Date:1/6/2011
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