A Pakistani politician has dropped her attempt to amend the country's controversial blasphemy laws, accusing her party of appeasing extremists

Pakistan People's Party MP Sherry Rehman made her decision after the government ruled out changing the law. Rehman is one of only a few politicians prepared to speak out on the blasphemy law. They say there has been a climate of fear since the murder of Punjab governor Salman Taseer who opposed it. Taseer was killed in January 2011 by one of his bodyguards, who later admitted murdering the governor because he had spoken out against the blasphemy law. Hundreds of people are in prison on charges under the law. Critics say it has been used to persecute minority faiths and is sometimes exploited by people pursuing grudges against others. It has been under scrutiny since a Christian, Asia Bibi, was sentenced to death in November 2010. Bibi denies insulting the Prophet Muhammad in her Punjab village in June 2009. Rehman had previously said that she received death threats every half hour, but would defy them. However, in a statement, she said that she would not be proceeding with her proposed bill following remarks by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. Gilani had said that no amendment in the law could be considered. He also disbanded a committee set up to determine how to amend the laws. Politicians in Pakistan are increasingly reluctant to amend the law - many are afraid of being targeted in the way Taseer was.