Editorial in THE DAILY STAR
Dhaka11 September 2001

Save Dr. Shaikh from the gallows

Travesty of Justice in Pakistan

Condemned to death following conviction in a blasphemy case on August 18 this year, Dr. Muhammad Younus Shaikh, a British educated doctor and a professor of physiology at an Islambad medical college, now awaits the gallows. An additional session judge of Islamabad pronounced him guilty of blasphemy on the ground of a remark he had allegedly made during a classroom lecture. Dr. Shaikh was alleged to have reasoned that Prophet Muhammad (Sm.) could not have been a Muslim until he received his first relvelation, no could his parents have been the same before he preached Islam.

Whether his remarks constitute blasphemy can be debatable; however there is a distinct possibility that he may not have uttered these words in the first place. The ruling seems to have been arrived at purely based on hearsay and influenced by an Islamic fundamentalist orgnisation named Majlis-e-Khatam-e-Nabuwat. Interestingly, none of the complainants was within the earshot of, now eye witness to the alleged offence. Moreover, he was not effectively represented in the court of law, as most of the lawyers in Pakistan preferred not to defend him for fear of becoming target of the religious zealots. Overall, it was simply a travesty of justice.

The blasphemy law has become a weapon  for the fundamentalists in Pakistan to
persecute religious minorities and unorthodox Muslims and Dr. Shaikh has become
its latest victim. He has been a thorn in the flesh for the zealots ever since he began championing the ideals of liberal democracy, freedom of thought, rationalism, secularism and women's liberalism. His humanistic view that state and
religion should be separated in a true democratic setup must have ruffled a few
feathers. This time, they have got him cornered, courtesy of a draconian
law.

Fortunately, Dr. Shaikh has not been readily executed as many were for similar
offences in the past. Appeals against the ruling are pending with the court. We
hope the higher court would acquit him of the charges for the sake of justice. As
for the blasphemy law itself, the legislators in Pakistan need to rethink its
relevance to the present-day world.