ISLAMABAD: A lawyer for a young Pakistani Christian girl arrested on blasphemy charges in a poor suburb of Islamabad claimed Thursday he had been refused a meeting with her.
Police arrested the girl, Rimsha, who reportedly has Down's Syndrome, in a low-income neighbourhood of the capital last Thursday after she was accused of burning papers containing verses from the Holy Quran, and remanded her for 14 days.
Rimsha, aged between 11 and 16, is being held in a jail in Rawalpindi, and her case has prompted concern from Western governments and fury from rights campaigners.
"The lawyers are facing difficulties to see the accused girl. The jail authorities have told them to get permission from the top authorities," Shamaun Alfred Gill, a spokesman for All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), told AFP.
Her legal team said they had approached the higher authorities in Punjab province but could not get a go ahead for the meeting.
"I myself contacted the inspector general (of prisons) by phone and he told me that he will call me back, but I am still waiting to speak to him," Tahir Naveed Chaudhry, one of Rimsha's lawyers, told AFP.
"He is not receiving my calls now. Legally, they can't stop a lawyer seeing his client in the jail but the authorities are refusing us a meeting."
But Farooq Nazir, the inspector-general of Punjab prisons, told AFP there was no restriction on Rimsha meeting her lawyer or immediate family and insisted she was being cared for.
Rimsha is being held in the same jail as Mumtaz Qadri, the bodyguard who last year gunned down Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who had declared Pakistan's strict anti-blasphemy legislation "a black law".
Chaudhry said that they have also filed an application with a court in Islamabad to set up a medical panel to determine Rimsha's age.
"We want the court to constitute a commission to judge the age of Rimsha, because, the church records show she is 11 years old only. While her age mentioned in the police report is 16," he said.
COMMENTS (38)
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@hardliner: Am I required to go in detail and tell you how Qadianis are harming the country?? Only religious mission which is allowed in Israel and it was revealed as far as 1972 that 500 Qadianis are recruited in Israel's army and may I know what are they doing it??
As far as this girl's case is concerned, only thing we want to confirm is whether she done it really and was it delibrate and is she mentally perfect? If yes, then surely law should execute her. simple as that...and shame on tribune to quote from AFP on such a sensitive issue.
@HRK: This law was designed and put into practice during Zia era.
@Spud,
Do you even know how a Westminster style system works? What do you think is the job os the Supreme Courts? They can invalidate any law they deem is not in line with the Constitution of the country.
They have deliberately kept her in that jail so they could also let free that murderer of salman taseer. the case is different but somehow i think it will be popular demand after that accused child is released.
CJ and other big boss of the country does not have time for poor nation. they are fighting for their own seat and filling their pockets.
@BruteForce: It is not within the power of the court to declare any law valid or invalid. It has no power over the Parliament. The lawmakers should understand how this law is being used or can be used to get rid of unwanted persons and remove it from law books. They should also show humanity and spare this young person.
A question for all the right wing parties of Pakistan and for the people who follow what these parties preach; "Why don't you charge Taliban and Al-Qaeda with blasphemy against the Quran when they attack mosques and shrines through suicide bombers. These attacks not only have taken hundreds of lives but they also result in fire and destruction. Did anyone ever charge them with blasphemy against the Quran? I would call it blasphemy against Allah, the Quran and the prophet altogether. They are not only burning the Quran through these attacks but they are committing un-Islamic, horrific and henious crimes all on the name of Allah and the prophet. Does anyone of them have enough courage to say this?
I read a news item in Jang dated 8.22.12 that Sikh offered their Gru Duwara to Muslims for prayers somewhere Dera Dun. What a practical largehearted ness. Ulema e soo like Fazlur Rehman, Munawwar Hassan, Ibtisam Elahi, Samiul haq, Hafiz Saeed, and people of their ilk should hang their head in shame. The eleven-year old Christian girl is being deprived basic facilities- she is not allowed to meet her lawyer. YEH ZULM HAI ISLAMI JAMHOORIA PAKISTAN MEIN.
Does the now prevailing law allow rape of 12 year old girls? As far as I know, underage sex, even if consensual is rape. Yet the judiciary, CJ, police, law makers, all allow this. My point is that even if a new law is passed, it will have no effect as no one will enforce it. Everyone, including the general public, politicians and media judiciary and law enforcement agencies shall all keep quiet.
What a beautiful people, following the sweet gentle laws laid down by bedouins wandering in then nameless deserts who called it the word of their God. Amazing that there are people in the 21st century who believe in this jungle creed. Does your religion have any room for conscience or compassion?
Jibran, before you bash Imran Khan do some research: he was one of the only politicians to make a statement on this: "Shameful! Sending an 11yr old girl to prison is against the very spirit of Islam which is all about being Just and Compassionate" and more
@Faraz: You are the voice of sanity. May your tribe increase. It appears that unfortunately you are also a minority of sorts in your country - and I am not referring to your religion by the way. Stay safe and stay sane. Warm Regards
@jibran: And PM's probity and honesty remains unscathed for not having done anything about it.
@BruteForce: Great point: But I ask why the CJ is not taking a suo motu action? Is he scared of the fanatics? Siddique Malik.
When Galileo Galilei told that earth rotates sun, then church threatened to burn him. Pakistan is moving slowly in the 16th century & will be a loser.They need to understand Science & Technology is the religion in the mordern world.
@BruteForce: It is most unfortunate that such a law exists! and there is no justifying such a law (except if you belong to the fanatics). I know I don't follow their (and yes, the Supreme Court, too) brand of Islam where it is a matter of pride to kill someone. I did not grow up with this brand of Islam!! Religious extremism has consumed Pakistan and Pakistanis but I won't blame Islam for this. It's the Mullah who have destroyed Islam. Just when I thought it cannot get any worse. As Hoodboy recently wrote in one of his articles on that another marvel 'the water kit', "welcome to Jahilia". INDEED.
In every single case, the blasphemy law has been misused.
it has no justification at all, and should be repealed unconditionally.
In the heat of the moment, we often lose sight of the fact that we may be insulting Islamic rulings and in doing so become Kaafir. We must take utmost care when we utter something about religion without knowledge. Beware of the game the Zionist sponsored media is trying to play with us. The Swat flogging incident has not faded from our memories yet. All sorts of abuse was hurled against Islam in the name of humanism.
What kind of Islam is this? a minor girl jailed? for God sake,,, and people who are killing innocent pakistanies in the name of sects, are taken as heroes..
Pakistan is purposely giving Islam a bad name to the world.
Before outraging about happenings in other countries next time, it would help if Pakistanis looked at a mirror once. Just once.
Not a single statement from the leaders advocating Revolution and change.... They are the biggest liars and hypocrites!
Puristan ZindabadThis is ridiculousness at its best, the law it self is bad as is, but to hold a child let alone of unfirm mind, is absolutely beyond logical comprehension. The wording of the law it self is such that an adult of unsound mind cannot be tried for the charges the young girl has been booked on. This shows where the moral courage of this society lies and the weakness of the sitting Govt. and the Hon CJ for some reason has nothing to say about this? Imran Khan/PTI anyone?
Despite hardship and discrimination not a single hindu or christian take up arms, but on the other hand just look at the majority Pakistani muslims, they have made the life of minorities miserable. Of course, innocent muslims, Shias and Ahmedis did suffer from extremism.
Just when you thought it couldnt get any worse!
"...Rimsha is being held in the same jail as Mumtaz Qadri, the bodyguard who last year gunned down Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who had declared Pakistan’s strict anti-blasphemy legislation “a black law.."
@BruteForce: 1. Faraz is right regarding the teaching of Islam not advocating this. 2. The existence of this law doesn't imply current SC's agreement with it; it was passed back in the days of Bhutto or Zia Ul Haq, if I am correct. Either way, this law is mostly abused and thus should be abolished. 3. It's the job of our lawmakers to ammend/abolish this law, not courts. Unfortunately our lawmakers are themselves facing the courts for their wrongdoings. 4. Agreed with you about the fanatics -- Salman Taseer and the Minority Minister who were assassinated are major proofs of this.
All in all, we need to educate our religious and zealot masses on the abuses of this law and instill some common sense into our people, otherwise we're going to lose any respect we have left as far as humanity is concerned.
@BruteForce: thats a fanatic statement!!
Its a shame!!..we have practically become butchers in the name of Islam!!
The girl is doomed.
@Faraz:
If you think the teaching of Islam do not advocate this, then you can surely petition the Supreme Court to remove this law, as the Constitution of Pakistan declares all laws are to be in tune with the Quran.
The fact that this law exists says that the Supreme Court of Pakistan agrees that Blasphemy Law is part of the Islamic faith.
If you care to disagree why not petition the Supreme Court and find it out for yourself? Mind you, you might be placing yourself in danger from the fanatics if you do that.
where is "Khadem e Aaala"?? why not he set up his office in some christian village ??
Does 11 year old minors go to jail or to child care units?
Doesn't anyone in Pakistan know how this is being reported in the World news? Does anyone care? Is anyone running the ship? Hows that Presidential mandated investigation coming -- or are you going to finish the Abbottabad investigation first?
Please let the little girl join her family. Such cases just defame our religion, country and society. If the purpose is to please God and his most magnificent and merciful Prophet, then there is no scope for such brutality and rough treatment.
Wanting to kill a 11 year old helpless girl in the name of Islam??!! Do the teachings of Islam advocate this?? If this is the Islam majority of Pakistani wish to follow then I am proud to say I am not one of them.
beautiful law.