Haq, Farhat., Sharia and the State in Pakistan: Blasphemy Politics.

To a casual observer, Pakistan’s preoccupation with blasphemy may appear understandable: it is natural, after all, that a state created in the name of religion should be sensitive about anything that impinges upon its religious sensibilities. Interestingly, however, although the offence of blasphemy was introduced in present day India and Pakistan under the British Raj, the interest of the Pakistani state and citizenry in the offence is relatively recent.