Source: Christian Today
Christians in Charsadda, a town in North-West Frontier Province in Pakistan, have been warned that if they do not convert to Islam by 17 May they will face “dire consequences and bomb explosions”, Christian Today has learned.
The threats were made in a letter circulated last week to the town’s Christian population, according to the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance.
They come as Pakistan’s National Assembly overwhelmingly rejected proposed amendments to the blasphemy laws, which were tabled by a minority representative Member of Parliament, Mr Bhandara. On 8 May, the Government led the movement in the National Assembly to defeat the reforms.
Under the existing blasphemy laws, anyone convicted of blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammad faces life imprisonment or the death penalty, according to section 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Mr Bhandara, a Parsi, proposed a bill which would amend the penalty for blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammad to a five year prison sentence and a fine. He also proposed applying the law to other religions, not only Islam.