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Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan attacked the extremists and called for calm after the acquittal of a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy.
In a television broadcast, Khan said the extremists "incited [people] for their own political gain ", claiming that they" do not render any service to Islam ".
The historic Asia Bibi case has already triggered violent protests by extremists who support the adoption of strict blasphemy laws.
Her lawyer told the BBC that she should settle abroad for her safety.
Asia Bibi was convicted in 2010 after being accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad consecutively with his neighbors.
She has always maintained her innocence, but has spent most of the last eight years in solitary confinement.
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The verdict issued Wednesday by the Supreme Court sparked protests in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Multan. Clashes with the police have been reported.
Muhammad Afzal Qadri, leader of the extremist Islamist party Tehreek-i-Labaik, said the three Supreme Court justices "deserve to be killed".
The red zone of the capital Islamabad, where the Supreme Court is located, was cordoned off by the police.
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ARSHAD ARBAB
Demonstrations took place in several cities, including Peshawar
Wednesday evening, Mr. Kahn said: "Which government can operate in this way, subject to blackmail protesters? …
"And who is suffering from it?" Our Pakistanis, ordinary people, the poor, block roads, steal people's livelihoods …
"This is not the service of Islam, it is a hostility to the country.Only anti-state elements speak in this way, killing the judges, causing a revolt in the country." army … They are only trying to strengthen their vote bank. "
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What was Asia Bibi accused of?
The lawsuit arose out of a dispute between Asia Bibi, Asia Noreen and a group of women in June 2009.
They were picking fruit when a row broke out around a bucket of water. The women said that because she had used a cup, they could no longer touch it because her faith had made her unclean.
Prosecutors said that in the row that followed, the women said that Asia Bibi had to convert to Islam and that she had made offensive remarks about the Prophet Muhammad in response .
She was later beaten at home, during which her accusers confessed to confessing blasphemy. She was arrested after a police investigation.
What is blasphemy in Pakistan?
The laws promulgated by the British Raj in 1860 make it an offense to disturb a religious assembly, burial places, insulting religious beliefs or intentionally destroying or defiling a place or a place of worship. object of worship, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Several other clauses were added in the 1980s by the head of the Pakistani army, General Zia ul-Haq:
- 1980 – up to three years in prison for derogatory remarks against Islamic characters
- 1982 – life imprisonment for "voluntary" profanation of the Koran
- 1986 – "Death or imprisonment for life" for blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad
- What are Pakistan's laws on blasphemy?
- Blasphemy laws around the world
What did the Supreme Court say?
The judges stated that the prosecution had not "proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt".
The case was based on weak evidence, they said, and the proper procedures had not been followed. The supposed confessions were delivered before a crowd "threatening to kill".
The decision made a strong reference to the Quran and Islamic history. It ended with a quote from the hadeeth, the gathered words of the Prophet Muhammad, which calls on non-Muslims to be treated with kindness.
Why is this case so divisive?
Islam is the national religion of Pakistan and underpins its legal system. Public support for strict blasphemy laws is strong.
Extremist politicians have often advocated harsh sentences, in part to strengthen their support base.
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Critics argue that laws have often been used to avenge personal conflicts and that convictions are based on thin evidence.
The vast majority of convicts are Muslims or members of the Ahmadi community, but since the 1990s, many Christians have been convicted. They represent only 1.6% of the population.
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EPA
There is widespread support for harsh sanctions for blasphemers in Pakistan
The Christian community has been the target of numerous attacks in recent years, leaving a large number of people vulnerable to a climate of intolerance.
Since 1990, at least 65 people were reportedly killed in Pakistan on charges of blasphemy.
Asia Bibi, born in 1971 and mother of four, was the first woman to be sentenced to death under the law.
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AFP
Salman Taseer took over the cause of Asia Bibi and called for reform of the blasphemy laws
Internationally, his conviction has been widely condemned as a violation of human rights.
What is happening now?
Authorities announced his planned release later this week, after which his plans are unknown.
Speaking to the BBC, her lawyer, Saiful Mulook, said that she should settle in a Western country after the decision to ensure her own safety.
Several countries have offered her asylum and many are waiting for her and her family to leave Pakistan.
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AFP
The husband and daughter of Asia Bibi fear for their safety in Pakistan
