ISLAMABAD: A young Pakistani Christian girl accused of blasphemy must wait until at least Monday to learn if she will be given bail, after a judge adjourned her case on Saturday amid doubts over legal paperwork.
Rimsha has been in custody since she was arrested in a poor Islamabad suburb more than two weeks ago accused of burning papers containing verses from the Quran, in breach of Pakistan's strict blasphemy laws.
Judge Muhammad Azam Khan adjourned the case to Monday and asked police to investigate a bail application made on Rimsha's behalf after prosecutors claimed paperwork had not been signed by the girl or her mother.
Speaking to reporters outside the court, Rimsha's lawyer Tahir Naveed Chaudhry accused prosecutors and lawyers for her accuser of delaying tactics.
"The medical report has declared her an underage person with low IQ. How can she commit blasphemy? She is innocent and should be released," he said.
A medical report earlier this week said Rimsha appeared to be around 14 years old, which would make her a minor, and had a mental age below her true age, but the court has yet to decide whether to accept the assessment.
Some reports have said Rimsha has Down's Syndrome and her case has prompted concern from Western governments and anger from rights groups, who warn the blasphemy legislation is often abused to settle personal vendettas.
Blasphemy is a very sensitive subject in the Pakistan, where 97 percent of the 180 million population are Muslims, and allegations of insulting Islam or the prophet Mohammad often prompt a furious public reaction.
COMMENTS (37)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Release the girl. Repeal the law.
What the shameful act and attitude of police and judiciary by showing effrontery and meanness with an innocent and immature 11 years' old girl,by sending her in Adiala Jail whereas in Western countries there are welfare departments (sub-jails) for teenage criminals, who has been misused,misguided and betrayed by the wrongful hands against Islam and muslims instead of tracing the real culprits who misused,misguided and betrayed her for their negative objectives against Islam and the muslims...... Wow what the excellent and august live example of justice and equality with innocent and teenager persons in Pakistan!!!!!!
A disabled child/person won't be accountable on the day of judgement as they are innocent. They will have their trials in this life only. This is the sickest news to come out of Pakistan by any means that we are imprisoning the most vulnerable people in society. This is oppression and WE should fear Allah's punishment. This is victimisation. The evidence is unreliable and would we imprison a Muslim child of 3 or 4 years of age?
@Cautious: .Dear Cautious, For once we are in agreement. It had to happen eventually. Keep up the good work.
She is in police custody and save. Her life is at more risk outside the police protection in my opinion.
Today's Jang newspaper has broken the news that one eye witness has charged Mullah Khalid Jadoon (one of the main culprits) that on getting some ashes from the accuser Hammad, he added to it some Quranic pages to solidify the doctored proof. Even though some worshippers in the mosque had protested and asked the Mullah to resist, but Mullah Khalid Jadoon did it any way. If this testimony proves to be true then this Mullah who deliberately committed the blasphemy should taste the full fury of this law.
Can some one wake up CJ or he is busy protecting Dr Arsalan Or being after politicians. Exodus or Hindus, silent exodus of Christians is definately troubling the spirit of our Quaid's. The country has been turned to religious extremists and thugs. Thanks to dictator Zia for giving mullahs, klashnikof to the nation. God bless Pakistan and free it from mullah rule.
Cant US pay some blood money to get her out of there? Whats Amnesty doing? UN? How can the world sit and watch this horrific act play out? Its a slow motion (certain) death for the girl.
she should be set free
@Parvez: Absolutely right.. No guts to set the things straight..
while are our mullas are designing a better prison for an intellectually challenged minor WHEN PAKISTAN IS ALREADY A PRISON FOR ALL THOSE WHO CAN THINK.
@Ch. Allah Daad:
If safety is the concern then why can’t she be given a bungalow with her family like Osama bin Laden's family was given?
This appears to be a move by the government to please mullahs.
i think this girl is more or less finished.
Why is it taking so long to set free this girl when all is open in black and white???? Hopeless judicial system which is only interested in political judgments. Simply cowards. They are hostage to hardliners so why not send them packing home and bring in some who can deliver in impartial way.
First of all the prosecuting lawyer Rao should be tried for hatred. Sitting under the poster of governor's killer he announces if the court bails her some like him will kill her. His bar license should be cancelled. I am a Rajput and Rajput's stood for truth. He is not a Rajput. His ancestor's were not Rana Sangha or Rana Partab Singh.
The cj or the Bar should take notice of this thug trying to gain cheap popularity On the back of Religion. The girl is a minor and innocent. She should be freed and protected. What a shame a citizen cannot be released because her life is at risk outside. This is definately not Quaid's Pakistan. Let's also remove the white section from the flag
And you wonder why your ranked lower than N Korea by the rest of the World?
@Marxist: "Islam should have nothing to do with the constituition."
Islam has everything to do with the Constitution. India has inherited the exact same law, but has not registered a single Blasphemy case, that too in a Country of 1 Billion.
Government is doing a right thing by keeping her in jail. She should be kept in safe custody and when paperwork is complete, should be sent abroad. This is the only way to save her from Fanatics.
COURTS / GOVERNMENT Stop this mockery. We are fed-up with this defamation of our religion and atrocities with the citizens on basis of religion. Our religion has been made hostage by illiterate, intolerant and criminal gangs. Curse be upon those who sell religion for the sake of their vested interests.The incompetent government should hang its boots and go away. Judiciary is equally to be blamed for allying with the criminals due to fear.
Suo moto please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What is wrong with our society????????? It seems all the authorities as well as the judiciary has turned deaf and blind. Shame on us as people!!
Every day this case drags on the image of Islam in the world is tarnished...there is no danger to Islam from the actions of this young illiterate girl...stop the hate mongers from ruining the childhood of this poor unfortunate person and make your religious leaders grow up as representatives of a major world faith and act with kindness and compassion..
We insult Islam everyday with brazen corruption and innocent killings of Shias, Hindus and Ahmadies.
The poor girl is languishing in jail while CJ's son is basking in a five star hotel.
why the bail ground are minority , may be she is innocent altogether and blashemy is not commited in the first place
Islam should have nothing to do with the constituition.
This is unbelievable! Disgusting, awful!
Please do not encourage and motivate others to think negative - She is minor and doctor has already declared her mental condition. Why the child should be kept in a jail for something not done by her intentionally. Secondly the Quranic verses she found on the road while collecting the garbage who is responsible for throwing these verses on the road? Don't you think the punishment should be given to those responsible for throwing on the road? @Ammar:
Why a minor is being kept in jail . The SC should declair that the blashphemy law is unconstitutional .
@Ammar:
Do you even understand what you just said? That's exactly what a minor means. Her motives are not in question; she is too young to have any sinister motives.
Proper legal paperwork! Just because someone is minor dosn't exclude her from inquiry of her motive. Otherwise, minor should be encouraged to do such acts again and again. Although, it strongly oppose abusing this law for personal vendettas.
@waqas: Cowardice is stopping us from doing the right thing.
Do not follow your senior judges who are afraid of taking up the similar cases
Be brave judge sb, hear the case to its logical end ,do not shy on petty excuses .
what is stopping you to release this minor girl ?