Pakistan's top constitutional religious body on Wednesday declared violence against a person accused of blasphemy contrary to Islamic principles and suggested setting up a national commission that would make recommendations for preventing such incidents.
The Council of Islamic Ideology issued a statement after a meeting which was presided over by its chairperson, Dr Qibla Ayaz.
The meeting discussed the lynching of a Sri Lankan man in Sialkot in December last year and killing of a mentally unstable man in Khanewal this month.
The CII members "again declared that subjecting any person to violence on allegations of dishonouring religion, desecration of the Holy Quran and Namoos-i-Risalat (honour of the prophet) was against Shariah, inhumane and contrary to Islamic principles", the statement said.
It called for taking to task the elements involved in the Sialkot lynching at the earliest so that "the nation's confidence in the law and judicial system is restored".
The CII members further pointed out that the "bigger issue is that of implementation of the law and uncertainty about [the suspects] being punished".
The body also expressed concerns over violent incidents in the recent past, referring to the killing of the middle-aged man in Khanewal, who was lynched a by an angry mob.
"This meeting once again staunchly condemns such incidents and expresses deep sorrow over them. Such brutal torture by a violent mob is neither logical nor in line with the injunctions of the religion," the statement said.
The meeting suggested the government set up a national commission to make short-term and long-term recommendations for the prevention of use of violence in the name of blasphemy.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Dr Ayaz said that delays in the punishments of culprits involved in Sialkot like incidents was resulting in violence in the name of Islam.
The CII is constitutional body that gives legal advice on Islamic issues to the government and the Parliament.
