Arrest of a minor Christian girl: President seeks report within 24 hours

President Asif Ali Zardari has taken serious note of the report of the arrest of a minor Christian girl in Islamabad on the charges of blasphemy and called for a report from the Interior Ministry. According to reports, a minor Christian girl Miss Ramsha, 11, resident of Hameeraabad in Sector G-8 was arrested and sent to jail allegedly for desecrating pages from the Holy Quran.

Some reports, however, also said that the girl was burning used papers collected from the garbage for cooking when someone entered her house accusing the family of burning the pages of Holy Quran. This provoked people of the katchi abadi who gathered and beat the mother and sister of Ramsha and also burned some houses of the Christians.

While the Christian population is reported to have fled the area the police arrested the mother and sister of Ramsha sending the latter to Adiala prison. Spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the President has taken serious note of the incident and called for report from the Interior Ministry.

The President said that blasphemy by anyone cannot be condoned but no one will be allowed to misuse blasphemy law for settling personal scores.

Farhatullah Babar said that the President called for report within 24 hours and directed the authorities to protect the life and property of every one and that no one should be allowed to take the law into his hands.

The President also called for protecting every one particularly the vulnerable sections of society from any misuse of the blasphemy law.

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