ISLAMABAD:
A lower court judge on Friday reprimanded police officials for not submitting a charge-sheet against Rimsha Masih, a minor mentally disabled girl accused of blasphemy on trumped up charges. Justice Aziz Khan of the District and Session court ordered the police investigators to submit the charge-sheet in three days.
During the hearing, Investigation Officer (IO) Munir Jaffri claimed that investigation was under way and requested the court for more time.
Justice Khan expressed his annoyance at the delay and directed the IO to submit the charge-sheet on September 17.
Rao Abdur Rahim, the complainant’s counsel, requested the court to cancel the accused’s bail. “If a prime minister appears before the apex court when he is summoned, why did a girl accused of committing blasphemy not appear?”, he questioned. The counsels representing the girl did not appear before the court.
The judge observed that the accused was not as significant as the accusation that had been levelled against her.
Meanwhile, the investigation officer suggested the court hold the trial inside the jail due to the sensitivity of the case. Opposing the suggestion, Rahim said Rimsha had been granted bail, therefore an open trial should be held.
Earlier on September 7, the court had granted bail to the accused against two surety bonds of Rs500,000 each. She was flown off in a helicopter to an undisclosed location afetr her release from jail.
The girl was arrested on August 16 for allegedly burning a primer, a booklet used to familiarise children with Arabic as written in the Quran. The Ramna police station had registered a case against her on the insistence of a mob incited by a cleric who was later arrested for planting the evidence against the girl.
Fearing a backlash, Rimsha’s family fled from the area, while locals handed over the girl and her mother to the local police.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 15th, 2012.
COMMENTS (4)
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@t: Fair point well made. I was unaware that she was disabled. What is UN doing? Why was this organization made?
Real human beings dont call other real human beings retarded. She is a child with disabilities that the middle east doesn't quite understand doesn't want to understand and will take a long time to convince these children have thoughts opinions and feelings just like everyone that is not disabled.
Even if she was not retarded she is still a minor. and even if she did burn it(which she did not) she does not deserve this kind of treatment. Anyone who is not aware of this stupid law can do this. It was just a school book. This whole case is utterly moronic. I feel pity for the girl and her family. She should be left alone now after all this horror.
This is ridiculous - the real issue here is the Imam who burned the pages of Quran and why? - no wonder no one in the west takes Islam or Pakistan seriously.... Even the charges brought against a retarded child shows how incredibly desperate certain Muslims are to prove the legitimacy and supremacy of Islam ... Normally I would be on the floor rolling and laughing if this incident were not so pathetic. The lack of action against the Imam or public demonstrations reveals the hypocrisy of what passes as justice or what qualifies as outrage in Pakistan - No wonder people make films like the one that just came out - Islam certainly invites if not deserves mockery and this incident proves it once again -