Cases of religious minority members accused of blasphemy are not rare in Pakistan. But the latest case happening in the country’s capital has evoked worldwide concern, especially among human rights groups. The reason seems to be the age of the accused. This time, it is an 11 year old girl, a child. What is worse, she is said to be suffering from a debilitating physical and mental condition.
CNN reported on Monday that the girl was arrested by the police after she was accused of burning pages of Islam’s holy book Koran. Though the reports of the girl, named Ramsha, having Down’s Syndrome has not be confirmed by the media, the incident of accusing a child of blasphemy has again sent shockwaves across the country and beyond. The girl says she does not know anything about the pages, whether they were of Koran, or how they came to be in the papers she burnt as fuel.
Not surprisingly, an angry crowd gathered in the area and threatened to burn the child alive to avenge the desecration of Koran. This led to evacuation of the area by the Christian families who lived there. Her parents have been taken into protective custody following threats and other Christian families have fled. It is thought that the girl has Down’s syndrome.
Paul Bhatti, Pakistan’s minister for National Harmony, told the BBC that the girl was known to have a mental disorder and that it seemed “unlikely she purposefully desecrated the Koran”. “From the reports I have seen, she was found carrying a waste bag which also had pages of the Koran,” he said.
He said more than 600 people have fled from the Christian neighbourhood.
Rights activists have urged Pakistan to reform its controversial blasphemy laws, under which a person can be jailed for life for desecrating the Koran. Many of those accused of blasphemy have been killed by violent mobs, while politicians who advocate a change in legislation have also been targeted.
Last year, Shahbaz Bhatti, the minister for minority affairs, was killed after calling for the repeal of the blasphemy law. His death came just two months after the murder of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who also spoke out about the issue.
Politician and former international cricketer Imran Khan tweeted: “Shameful! Sending an 11 year old girl to prison is against the very spirit of Islam, which is all about being Just and Compassionate”
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Tags: 11 year old girl arrested, BBC, blasphemy, Christian, CNN, Cricket, Down's syndrome, Imran Khan, Islam, Koran, Muslim, Pakistan, Paul Bhatti, Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, Rimsha Masih, Shahbaz Bhatti
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