Last Sunday, witnessed yet another huge rally organised by Tuhaffaz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat Mahaz in Lahore, protesting against the governments vague and indecisive approach to the issue of the existing law on blasphemy. Religious parties, representing virtually all schools of thought, were joined by some political parties in voicing their concern and warning the government against touching the law in any form whatsoever. It is noteworthy that despite assurances given by the Prime Minister and several other top officials that no change in it was being envisaged, there continues to exist a strong apprehension that it, indeed, harbours the thought of introducing some amendments. Changes are being made, it is believed, to meet the wishes of foreign friends, who have been pressing hard for its repeal. By toning down certain clauses in the legislation to prevent its misuse, the government hopes to satisfy their concern. Thus, there are obvious reasons for looking askance at the governments assurances, especially as the committee that had been formed to go through the existing law on blasphemy and recommend changes in it still stands intact. However, the Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs, Mr Shahbaz Bhatti, claims that there does not exist any such committee, and the one that was envisaged by the President was intended to review the procedure of the laws implementation to forestall its misuse. But the process had been halted, Mr Bhatti said, as it was likely to create misunderstanding among the people. But that does not remove the suspicion that amendments might be brought about in the future because the bill introduced by MNA Sherry Rehman in the National Assembly to that effect has not yet been withdrawn. In the light of these facts, the general feeling, not merely among the religious-minded people, is that the government is only biding time and, perhaps, expects the public sentiment against making any amendments to subside in course of time, and would then seize the opportunity to reactivate the above mentioned committee and let the bill quietly sail through the House. Strangely, however, the government has failed to appreciate the sensitivity of the matter, needlessly, letting the pubic feelings flare up. The Sundays demonstrations, which saw a highly-charged crowd, should, one hopes, make our ruling leadership wiser. Otherwise, these protests would get stronger. But if the leaders have realised that they had blundered into thinking of introducing changes in the law, there is urgent need for the Prime Minister to make a formal announcement to that effect on the floor of the House, explicitly saying that the committee stands dissolved and the Sherry Rehman Bill withdrawn. There is absolutely no other course open to the government to appease the popular anger.