An English-language daily in Peshawar, Pakistan, known for its opposition to the military government, has been closed, its presses burned, staff members arrested -- and abandoned by its owners. The immediate cause is a letter, but the issues involved are far more profound. PNS commentator Muddassir Rizvi is a Pakistani journalist specializing in development issues whose work appears in several weekly and monthly publications.

Shouting "Death for blasphemers," more than 1000 bearded men wearing turbans gathered at a rally here after torching the presses of a leading newspaper which had been closed by the military government.

The men were members of Islamic parties or their student branches.

The newspaper, the English-language daily, The Frontier Post, had been shut down for publishing material derogatory to the Prophet Mohammad and Islam.

The protesters were too strong for heavy police and paramilitary forces to control. "We will not rest until the blasphemers are publicly hanged," roared Maulana Rahim Gil, amid the loud slogans of Allah-o-Akbar (God is Great).

Violent protests in this and other cities followed publication of a letter entitled "Why Muslim Hate Jews." Received through e-mail from one Ben D. Zac, the letter questioned the prophethood of Mohammad and truthfulness of Islam. Pakistan has devised laws that carry capital punishment for anybody who questions and challenges such basic Muslim beliefs.

Anticipating a violent reaction to publication of the letter, the military authorities were quick to seal the Frontier Post's offices and order confiscation of all its copies on newsstands.

"The contents of the letter were highly sacrilegious and derogatory to the Islamic faith and the Qura'an. It appeared that a Jew authored the letter. The highly objectionable and derogatory material published by the newspaper has grossly hurt the feelings of the Muslim community and has caused immense resentment amongst them," said the press note issued by the government.

The government also took into custody five staff members of the paper under the blasphemy laws that carry capital punishment. The paper's managing editor has also been charged but has fled.

Blasphemy laws are rarely used against Muslims. Most such cases are filed against minority members by Muslims. "The arrested employees of the paper are not safe at all," said a government official. "In custody, at least their lives are in no danger and they would be given fair chance to defend themselves in a court of law."

The management of the Frontier Post has tendered an unqualified apology for publication of the material, terminated the arrested employees, and is pressing charges against them.

While the newspaper's apology did not satisfy the religious right, newspaper and journalists' organizations have demanded a judicial probe into the incident. "We denounce the publication of the sacrilegious letter, but at the same time we do not think that the institution be punished for the mistake of some individuals," said the President of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society, Mir Shakil-ur- Rehman.

Rehman wants the religious scholars to come forward and help find an amicable solution to the imbroglio. "This is the time when religious scholars calm down the protesters and ensure peace," he said.

Similar views were expressed by some sections of the press, which said that the government acted prematurely in this crisis.

But many independent observers said the government had a score to settle with The Frontier Post, which has been published for 15 years and respected for its independent views. The editor-in-chief Rehmat Shah Afridi has been in jail for two years on charges of drug trafficking, though he has pleaded not guilty. The paper has taken a tough line against the existing military regime as well.

In its published apology, the Frontier Post management talked about a conspiracy to close down the paper. "We bluntly claim that the conspiracy sought to close down The Frontier Post, rendering the employees jobless and to destabilize Pakistan," read its published apology.