Pakistanis back blasphemy laws

PAKISTAN'S religious tensions were on display yesterday as thousands of Muslims marched in defence of draconian blasphemy laws, even as Christians gathered to mourn a politician murdered for defending a woman sentenced to hang for criticising the Prophet Muhammad.

Protesters in Karachi carried banners celebrating the death of Salman Taseer who was shot dead last week by a member of his security team.

His killer, Mumtaz Qadri, has been feted by hardline clerics and showered with rose petals, to the horror of Pakistan's small band of liberals and members of religious minorities.

Yesterday, more than 40,000 people assembled in Karachi, to express their anger at efforts to reform the controversial law.

"Mumtaz Qadri is not a murderer, he is a hero," said one banner.

Qari Ahsaan, from the banned Islamist group Jamaat ud Dawa, addressed the crowd from a stage. "We can't compromise on the blasphemy law. It's a divine law and nobody can change it," he said.

Mr Taseer was singled out after he took up the cause of Asia Bibi, a Punjabi woman sentenced to death after villagers accused her of blasphemy, a case first revealed by The Scotsman.