General Musharraf is coming under increasing pressure from religious parties to back down on his pledges to introduce key reforms aimed at improving the status of religious minorities in Pakistan.

On May 19th, the Milli Yakjehti Council (MYC), an alliance of mainstream religious parties, held a one-day strike to pressure the Chief Executive to accept their demands. These included the withdrawal of his proposals to reform the madrassahs (Koranic schools) and to restore the joint electoral system.

Under the present separate electoral system, religious groupings in Pakistan are compartmentalised. Muslims are only allowed to vote for Muslim candidates and minorities for minority candidates. Minority groups are only given a handful of seats (Christians have 4, Hindus 4, Ahmadis 1 and other non-Muslims 1), creating a form of religious apartheid which denies minorities adequate representation.

The Chief Executive has already succumbed to pressure to backtrack on his reform of the administrative procedure for registering blasphemy cases.

According to this reform, announced at a human rights convention on April 21st, First Information Reports (FIRs) would only be registered after a preliminary investigation and scrutiny by a Deputy Commissioner.

The proposal was hailed by critics of the blasphemy laws as a significant step forward in curbing their abuse. However, the backlash against General Musharraf by religious bodies was fierce.

According to reports in the national press, the Convenor of the Sindh chapter of Almi Majlise-Khatm- e-Nabuwwat (World Conference for Protection of Finality of Prophethood) accused the government of a virtual rebellion against Allah and the Holy Prophet adding, 'there is no need for a Deputy Commissioner's inquiry. This is tantamount to offering relaxation to blasphemers.' Spokespersons for the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam agreed, and warned the government of a confrontation if it went ahead with such reforms.

As a result of such threats, General Musharraf retracted his reform on 16th May.

News of this retraction came just two weeks after a blasphemy case was registered against a 27-yr old man in Faisalabad. According to a CSW source, Augustine Ashiq Masih, nicknamed Kungri Masih, was born a Christian but converted to Islam for economic reasons and under coercion from local Muslims.

When, following a change of heart, he again started to live as a Christian and associate with other Christians, the local Muslim community turned on him and a complaint was filed against him. Without carrying out a proper inquiry, the Deputy Commissioner ordered a case to be registered against Kungri Masih under Section 295c which carries the death penalty. Masih is now being held in Faisalabad District Jail where he is awaiting trial.

Section 295c of the Blasphemy laws is frequently abused because of its vague formulation which allows arbitrary enforcement.

According to the law, those punishable are any persons who 'by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations, or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defile the sacred name of the Holy Prophet.'

In several cases complaints have been filed at the insistence of local clerics or members of the Islamist parties.

The motives are varied and some have appeared to be purely because the accused is a member of a minority faith.

In other cases this fact is exacerbated by economic or professional rivalry.

According to CSW's National Director, Stuart Windsor, "It is tragic that General Musharraf is being held back in his endeavours to improve the status of religious minorities in Pakistan. It is high time that minorities gained acceptance as full and equal members of society, and that the government took measures to curb the drift towards extremism."

For more information please call Catherine Field at the CSW Office on 020 8942 8810