A Pakistani court's order for only the death sentence to be levied for insulting Islam's prophet will further endanger Christians and heighten the powers of the Islamic court that issued it, Morning Star News reported from sources inside the country.
While Christians fear that government compliance with the Federal Shariat Court's order Dec. 4 to remove life imprisonment as a punishment for insulting Muhammad could usher in a new era of persecution, some critics say the greater concern is that it could broaden the powers of the controversial court.
Section 295-C of Pakistan's blasphemy laws calls for either death or life imprisonment for those convicted of insulting Muhammad. The Federal Shariat Court (FSC) has given the government several weeks to implement, through parliament, its order to remove life imprisonment as a possible blasphemy punishment.
The court's order comes less than three years after the assassinations of two top government officials quelled most criticism of the blasphemy laws. Keep reading
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