Rimsha’s case: Court extends remand for 14 days

ISLAMABAD:

A court on Friday extended the judicial remand of Rimsha, a minor accused of blasphemy, for two weeks.

Ramna Police produced her before judicial magistrate Inamullah Khan and requested him to extend her remand for another two weeks for further investigation.

She was brought to court guarded by heavily-armed commandos. Her face was concealed with a white sheet.

The girl, a Christian, was arrested for allegedly burning a Noorani Quaida, a booklet used to familiarise children with Arabic as written in the Quran. Ramna police station had registered a case against her on the insistence of a cleric.

She was reportedly playing outside her house, opposite sector G-11 in Islamabad, when she was allegedly seen burning and dumping the pages of the primer in a bin. Fearing a backlash, Rimsha’s family fled from the area, while locals handed over the young girl and her mother to the local police.

There have been conflicting reports about the girl’s age and her mental state. Some media reports say she is 11 and suffers from Down’s Syndrome. Rimsha has been incarcerated since August 16 under the blasphemy law, prompting concern from Western governments, the Vatican and rights groups.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2012.