Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) - There are several hundred adhesions to the campaign "Let us save Rimsha Masih," the Christian girl accused of blasphemy and tomorrow, August 30, there should be the pronouncement of a Court in Islamabad (see Fides 28/08/2012 ). The adhesions to the campaign, launched by the Pakistani Christians Associations in Italy, "are still coming in from Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa" says to Fides prof. Mobeen Shahid, president of the Association. The campaign, he emphasizes "intends to save the life of an innocent girl but it is also an opportunity to reflect on the status of religious minorities in Pakistan, and to try to stop the actions of fanatical groups."
On the eve of the hearing in Court, many authoritative Pakistani representatives, contacted by Fides, said they were "confident and optimistic."
The Catholic lawyer Khalil Tahir Sindhu, from Faisalabad (in Punjab), who in his career has defended and acquitted many victims of blasphemy, told Fides: "I find Rimsha's story very strange and full of facts which are rather inexplicable. Experience tells me that in these cases there is always a serious injustice: the blasphemy law is wielded as a sword needed to hit innocent people. The cases are mostly invented, I think Rimsha’s case is one of them. Among other things, in this case, being a minor and mentally disabled, the police had no power to arrest her and did it for the undue pressure brought to bear. An obvious abuse has been carried out. Christian minorities feel completely insecure in Pakistan."
According to data provided to Fides by the NGO "Human Rights Commission of Pakistan," in 2011, 161 people were indicted and 9 were killed in extrajudicial executions, victims of the controversial blasphemy law, composed of Articles 295b and 295c of the Penal Code. These allegations, said a Muslim lawyer, anonymous for security reasons, "are false in 95% of cases." (PA) (Agenzia Fides 29/08/2012)
