Abstract

The Blasphemy Laws of Pakistan are arguably the most controversial piece of legislation in the country’s constitution. Rooted in its colonial past, the Laws have evolved with Pakistan and continue to hold tremendous importance in its identity formation. The Laws have been used by both religious and liberal agents to shape the meta-narrative and are often used by politicians to gain votes. An in-depth analysis of their formation and evolution can best explain how the Laws gained such prominence in the national discourse of Pakistan. The chapter starts with such an attempt. In order to provide a more contemporary understanding of how Pakistani society sees the Laws, discourse from leading newspapers is also captured and analyzed via the lens of Epistemic governance. The resulting analysis reveals religious traditions, religious historical and the nationalist historical roots of the Laws, explaining why they continue to dominate the national narrative in Pakistan.