LAHORE, Jan 27: The Jamaat-i-Islami has warned the government of protest if public reservations are not taken care of on blasphemy laws.

“If the government fails to remove people's apprehensions about blasphemy laws, the situation will go beyond protest rallies,” JI chief Syed Munawwar Hasan told the media after hosting Punjab Governor Latif Khosa and a PPP delegation at the party headquarters here on Thursday.

Mr Hasan argued that the people were rightly having apprehensions about and protesting the issue as the prime minister was not giving assurance in parliament on not amending the law.

He demanded that the government expel Vatican's representative and officially protest with the European parliament for their utterances against the law. He also sought official protest against the US offer of political asylum to Aasia Masih, a blasphemy convict.

He said a lack of clear and categorical stance on blasphemy laws and ignoring demands for disbanding the (Federal Minority Affairs Minister) Shahbaz Bhatti-led committee on the issue was making the people doubtful about the government intentions.

He made it clear that the Namoos-i-Risalat movement would continue until the committee for review of the laws was dissolved and the bill submitted by PPP MNA Sherry Rehman suggesting amendments to them was withdrawn.

Jan 30 protest rally, scheduled to be taken out from Nasser Bagh up to the Punjab Assembly Building, on the issue would be historic, he added.

Referring to the reconciliation policy of the PPP government, the JI leader said they welcomed it as none wished for the policy of confrontation. However, he said, fruits of the reconciliation should reach down to the public and it must not be confined to protecting interests of the ruling elite.

He assured the visitors of his party support to each and every move made for the benefit of the masses.

Mr Khosa said he had brought a message of reconciliation to the JI leaders from President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

He said they were carrying the message to leaders of all the political parties for making the country a cradle of peace and tranquility. He said doors of the Governor's House were open to all people irrespective of their creed and political affiliations.

Senior PPP Minister Raja Riaz, ministers Ashraf Sohna and Farooq Ghurki, and Haji Azizur Rehman Chan were accompanying the governor, while JI Secretary-General Liaquat Baloch, naib amir Aslam Saleemi and others were present.