Pervez Musharraf

Islamabad, May 16 (AFP): Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf called on religious scholars to re-examine strict Islamic laws which rights groups say discriminate against women and non-Muslims, state media reported today.

Musharraf also announced the establishment of the country’s first officially sponsored national rights commission.

The President called for a review of the blasphemy law, which imposes the death penalty for defiling Prophet Mohammad and the Muslim holy book the Quran, and the strict Hudood Islamic laws, which mostly deal with crimes of adultery and rape. Under the Hudood laws, a rape victim has to produce four witnesses in court to confirm her assault otherwise she can be tried on charges of wilful adultery while the rapist goes free.

Musharraf said the Hudood and blasphemy laws must be studied afresh to ensure they cannot victimise innocent people.

“The blasphemy law needs to be looked into so that it is not misused,” state television quoted Musharraf as telling a convention on human rights yesterday.