KARACHI, Nov 26 Rallies were held in different parts of the city on Friday against a reported government move to amend the blasphemy law and pardon Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman convicted under it.

The Jamaat-i-Islami staged a rally outside Masjid-i-Khizra after Juma prayers to condemn the government for considering protecting the convict and sending her abroad.

The rally was addressed by Karachi JI leaders Muhammad Hussain Mehanti, Nasrullah Shaji, Nasim Siddiqui and others.

They vowed to resist any such move, and said that the masses would not allow any amendment to the blasphemy law. They alleged that such a government move was actually aimed at appeasing the West.

Holding party flags, as well as banners and placards inscribed with slogans against amendments to the blasphemy law, participants of the rally raised slogans demanding the death sentence to Aasia Bibi handed down by a court in Punjab. They also carried banners calling for repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui from the United States.

The JI leaders demanded removal of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer for his support to the move aimed at protecting Aasia Bibi.

The other rally was organised by Pasban and addressed by its chief Altaf Shakoor and other leaders outside the Karachi Press Club. The participants raised slogans against the government and deplored that while it could do nothing to get Dr Aafia back home, it was displaying great haste to assure the West that Aasia Bibi would be pardoned.