Islamabad, Dec 15: Pakistan's religious minorities expressed outrage today over threats they said have been made against non-Muslim politicians. Members of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) said they have been threatened with physical violence since last week by unnamed Islamists who demanded the group cease its call for an end to discriminatory laws.
"Several telephone threats have been made against us," an APMA member who asked not to be named told.
The APMA last Tuesday demanded equal rights in the Islamic Republic and called for the repeal of laws that legitimise discrimination.
The group's chairman, Shahbaz Bhatti, said he was stunned by a subsequent response to the call by Ikramullah Shahid, Deputy Speaker of the Assembly in North West Frontier Province.
Shahid was quoted by the APMA as saying, "minorities do not have rights to demand for any amendment or abolition of discriminatory laws in an Islamic country."
The English-language daily The News also carried Shahid's denunciation on Friday, saying he warned of explicit provisions of capital punishment for those committing blasphemy.
Bhatti urged the government to ban such "provocative" comments.
"That aggressive and irresponsible statement of such a responsible person and authority can incite extremist elements, which can take any harmful and violent action against me and the members of the APMA," Bhatti said in a statement. Bureau Report