Pope calls on Pakistan to repeal blasphemy law

VATICAN CITY, (Reuters) – Pope Benedict called today for Pakistan to repeal its anti-blasphemy law, days after  a senior Pakistani politician who opposed the legislation was  assassinated by his own bodyguard.
The pope said the law served as a pretext for violence  against religious minorities such as Christians in predominantly  Muslim countries.
Speaking in his annual address to diplomats, dedicated this  year almost exclusively to religious freedom, he also said  Middle East governments must protect minority Christians,  following bomb attacks against churches in Egypt and Iraq.
“Among the norms prejudicing the right of persons to  religious freedom, particular mention must be made of the law  against blasphemy in Pakistan,” he told the ambassadors.
It is rare for a pope to use a public speech to specifically  ask a country to change one of its laws, underscoring the  concern he feels over threats to religious freedom, particularly  in predominantly Muslim countries.
“I once more encourage the leaders of that country to take  the necessary steps to abrogate that law, all the more so  because it is clear that it serves as a pretext for acts of  injustice and violence against religious minorities,” he said.
The pope made reference to last week’s murder of Salman  Taseer, the governor of Punjab province and an outspoken  liberal, who was gunned down for opposing the law, which imposes  a death sentence for those who insult the Prophet Mohammad.
Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy law has been in the spotlight  since November when a court sentenced a Christian mother of four  to death, in a case that has exposed deep rifts in the troubled  Muslim nation of more than 170 million people.