A/HRC/16/53/Add.1 289. The Government informed that with regard to the alleged firing at the house of the witness for the defence of the accused, it has been conveyed that the police officials visited the spot but did not find any evidence in this connection. In addition the Government of Pakistan informed that notables of the area have also expressed ignorance about any incident of firing. The Government of Pakistan informed that local authorities have been instructed to provide full protection to the life and property of the witness for the defence and his family members as and when requisitioned. (c) Observations by the Special Rapporteur 290. The Special Rapporteur is grateful that the Government of Pakistan replied by letter of 23 June 2010. He would like to stress the risk that efforts to combat blasphemy may be manipulated for purposes contrary to human rights and that any blasphemy legislation should not be used to censure all inter-religious and intra-religious criticism (see E/CN.4/2000/65, para. 111). The Special Rapporteur recommends a review of the Penal Code and he would like to reiterate that a useful alternative to blasphemy laws is to fully implement the protection of individuals against advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence (see A/62/280, para. 76). 291. Furthermore, the Special Rapporteur wishes to take this opportunity to refer to his framework for communications, more specifically to the international human rights norms and to the mandate practice concerning the intersection of freedom of religion or belief with other human rights, including freedom of expression (see para. 1 above, category D. 1.). 3. (a) Communication sent on 19 April 2010 jointly with the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and the Independent Expert on minority issues Allegations transmitted to the Government 292. The Special Procedures mandate holders brought to the attention of the Government information regarding the killing of Mr. Ashraf Pervez, Mr. Masood Javed and Mr. Asif Masood, all of them members of the Ahmadiyyah community in Faisalabad, province of Punjab. 293. According to the information received, the three Ahmadi traders Mr. Ashraf Pervez (aged 60), Mr. Masood Javed (aged 57) and Mr. Asif Masood (aged 24) were returning home around 10:00 p.m. on 1 April 2010 after the closure of their businesses in Rail Bazaar, Faisalabad. When their car reached Faisal Hospital, Canal Road, at least four persons jumped out of a white car and started shooting indiscriminately at the three businessmen. As a result, Mr. Ashraf Pervez, Mr. Masood Javed and Mr. Asif Masood were seriously injured and died on the way to hospital. 294. Some weeks before their death, Mr. Ashraf Pervez, Mr. Masood Javed and Mr. Asif Masood had reportedly complained to police at People’s Colony that they were being threatened by unidentified people because of their religious activities. However, the police officers had only recommended them to limit their movements and hire bodyguards to protect their safety. 295. In the province of Punjab, it is reported that anti-Ahmadiyya rhetoric in open-air conferences is permitted to clerics in the Punjab, where some mullahs exhort their audience to commit violence against Ahmadis by declaring them Wajib ul Qatl (liable to be killed). At the same time, several Ahmadis have been arrested under discriminatory domestic blasphemy laws; for example, section 298-C of the Penal Code provides that any Ahmadi 57