Britain needs to confront the question of blasphemy

“Death to France,” was heard chanted recently in Pakistan in response to the Charlie Hebdo magazine decision to republish the images of Prophet Mohammed. These same images resulted in the terrorist attack on their offices in 2015, which killed 12 people. Rather than condemning the violent action taken in response to the cartoons in 2015 and condemning more recent calls for violence, Pakistani foreign minister said: “I strongly condemn the French magazine Charlie Hebdo, on my own behalf and on the behalf of government… The blasphemous sketches have hurt the feelings of millions of Muslims.’’

The protests were led by the hardline party Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP), which has a history of organising huge and often violent protests over alleged cases of blasphemy. Pakistan has become ever more religiously conservative in its politics since its founding in 1947. What brings all of this closer to home is the close relationship some in the UK Pakistani diaspora have with this radical and violent approach to blasphemy.

On the 30th of November 2018, Deeni News broadcast an interview in which UK-based clerics demanded the release of, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, leader of the Tehreek-e-Labaik party in Pakistan. Khadim was arrested for holding mass protests in which he called for the death of the judges who had pardoned Asia Bibi, a Christian girl. She had faced the death penalty on charges of blasphemy. After Bibi was released she sought asylum in the UK. The UK refused, for fear that British clerics and their followers would cause “civil unrest” in the UK and launch attacks on embassies. Canada later granted her asylum. In Birmingham the same group, Tehreek-e-Labbaik, was being promoted in the run-up to the 2018 Pakistani elections.

The infiltration of extreme anti-blasphemy politics into the British diaspora was highlighted horrifically in 2016 with the brutal murder of Asad Shah, a member of the Ahmadi Muslim sect, which is considered blasphemous by some. Shah was stabbed multiple times, dragged into the street and stamped on with such force that every bone in his face was broken. Afterwards, the murderer claimed that, “If I had not done this, others would have and there would be more killings and violence in the world.” He receives fan mail and visits from people who regard him as a hero.

Organisations heavily involved in promoting anti-blasphemy action are always aggressively and often violently opposed to the Ahmadi sect. Khatme Nubawaat and Dawat- e- Islami both have a connection in the UK and are both registered charities. Fundraising pots can be found on the streets of East London. Walk up Leyton High Street and you will find at least three.

Members of the Ahmadi sect describe how they no longer consider the UK as safe due to the extreme political thinking emanating from Pakistan. In a similarly shocking turn of events, Asad Shah’s family are now looking to leave the UK.

What is more is the number of extreme clerics permitted to tour in the UK, including individuals associated with the murder of governer Salman Taseer, who campaigned to change the blasphemy laws in Pakistan. The Home Office has come under criticism for giving Pakistani clerics who praised Salman Taseer’s murderer the ability to tour the UK. Salman Taseer’’s son, Shabaz Taseer remarks: “These people teach murder and hate. For me personally I find it sad that a country like England would allow cowards like these men in. It’s countries like the UK and the US that claim they are leading the way in the war against terror [and] setting a standard. Why are they allowing people [in] that give fuel to the fire they are fighting against?”

The level of infiltration of Pakistani politics into the British diaspora is dangerous. This will only get worse as Pakistan’s religious conservatism intensifies. Pakistan’s prime minister Imran Khan has pledged to revive a campaign to impose global blasphemy laws at the UN. A series of resolutions against “defamation of religions” were submitted to the UN on behalf of an inter-governmental organisation of 56 countries with significant Muslim populations. The resolutions were passed as non-binding resolutions, but the group representing the 56 countries says that its goal is to create an international law against the “defamation of religions”.

As Pakistan continues to move on its religiously violent and conservative trajectory, the UK must not play host to such thinking. Extremist clerics should not be allowed into the country. Britain must prevent extremist media from broadcasting and must confront the anti-blasphemy activity within our communities. We have Equality law as well as a counter extremism strategy and Prevent strategy. We have all the tools necessary to counter extreme hateful rhetoric. But without the political will and bravery to implement it we are all bark and no bite. Britain needs to confront the question of blasphemy, and fast. If we do not, then we run the risk of seeing more religiously motivated murders, like that of Asad Shah.