Blasphemy case against Christian teenager, Rimsha Masih, is to be reopened

By Dan Wooding Founder of ASSIST Ministries ISLAMABAD PAKISTAN (ANS) reports: Following the recent savage violence against Christians in a poverty-stricken Lahore ghetto on Saturday, March 9, 2013, during which a frenzied Muslim mob of about 3,000 people burned down about 200 homes and two churches, comes more shocking news.

It is that we learned that the blasphemy case against Rimsha Masih, an illiterate 14-year-old Christian girl from a suburb of Islamabad, who was arrested on August 16, 2012 (and later acquitted earlier this year) is to be reopened.

A neighbor had accused Rimsha of burning papers containing verses from the Quran, in breach of Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws, but on September 22, 2012, police investigating the case declared prayer leader Khalid Jadoon Chishti guilty, adding that there was no evidence against Rimsha and that he had framed her.

Then on January 16, 2013, Pakistan’s Supreme Court (SC) dismissed a so-called final appeal against Rimsha in her blasphemy case, which was supposed to have effectively ended all legal proceedings on the issue.

But now, her counsel Abdul Hameed Rana has told The Lahore Times that Rimsha’s complaintant has filed an application in the apex court to review the decision of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

“According to the sources, Malik Ummad, Rimsha’s accuser, sought to re-open Rimsha’s case through his lawyer who filed an appeal against the lower court’s acquittal,” said a story in The Lahore Times.

Prosecutors were trying to reopen the case to get the Christian girl convicted.

The bench that made the “final decision”, included the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Iftikhtar Muhammad Chaudhary, Justices Sh. Azmat Saeed and Justice Gulzar Ahmad and sources say that they are beginning to hear the case again today (Friday, March 22, 2013).

At the time of writing, it was not decided yet who will represent Rimsha in the apex court.

ANS Pakistan correspondent, Shamim Masih, who has been following the case now for us, said,

“It is worrisome that if this case is not handled properly, it may open new chapter in the history of blasphemy cases in Pakistan.”

With the recent mob attack against an entire Christian community and now this latest news of the possible retrial of Rimsha Masih, it leaves the world wondering when these constant attacks on Pakistan’s beleaguered Christians will end. Surely, they are saying, it is now time for the government of Pakistan to step in and ensure that these travesties of justice are halted, and thus restore the reputation of their country. For now we will have to wait and see. Source

PAKISTANI CHRISTIANS NEED YOUR PRAYERS! And pressure must be put on Pakistan to protect all of it’s citizens, regardless of stature, ethnicity, or religion.