On motion of Mario Silva, it was agreed, — That, whereas, Pakistan’s blasphemy laws relating to the desecration or denigration of holy personages, items and places within the Islamic faith have widely been misused to harass and victimize minorities in Pakistan;
Whereas, attempts to reform or repeal Pakistan’s blasphemy laws have been met by repression and in extreme cases the loss of life as with the assassination of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer;
Whereas, Members of the National Assembly putting forward such motions have been threatened and harassed, namely Sherry Rehman;
Whereas, the perpetrators of these offences, namely one Mumtaz Qadri, a bodyguard for Governor Taseer, have been greeted with adulation instead of condemnation; and,
Whereas, it was recommended by Canada and the United Nations community in the Universal Periodic Review of 4 June 2008, that Pakistan should be instructed to remove restrictions on religion or belief and amend legislation that discriminates against persons belonging to minorities, including but not limited to Christian, Quadiani, Lhaori and Ahmadi religions;
That the Subcommittee call on the Government of Canada to urge the Government of Pakistan to amend its domestic legislation so as to reflect its international human rights obligations, particularly its anti-blasphemy provisions, so that they cannot be invoked to harass minorities; and
That the Chair report this motion to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development and request that it be adopted and presented to the House.