Police in Pakistan have arrested a Muslim cleric who allegedly tampered with evidence linked to a Christian girl accused of vandalizing a Qur’an, in a case that has shone a spotlight on the country’s blasphemy laws.
The case of the Christian girl accused of burning pages of the Muslim holy book has ignited furor both in Pakistan and abroad, partly because of her age but also because of questions about her mental capacity.
The case has also triggered the exodus of hundreds of Christians from the girl’s neighbourhood, as residents flee fearing possible retribution by their Muslim neighours.
The cleric, Khalid Chishti, was apprehended Saturday for allegedly planting pages of a Qur’an in a shopping bag containing burned papers and ash. The bag belonged to the Christian girl and was later submitted as evidence, said investigating officer Munir Jaffery.
The arrest comes after a member of the mosque where the cleric works came forward Saturday and said the imam had placed the pages of the Quran in the bag. According to police, the man claimed cleric Chishti said the evidence was a way to get rid of Christians.
The new testimony surfaced more than two weeks after the Christian girl was arrested, raising questions about why the man did not come forward sooner with the critical information.
The girl was accused of desecrating the Qur’an, a serious offence that can result in a sentence of life in prison.
Officers arrested the girl in August just outside the capital Islamabad. She remains in police custody.
The Associated Press is withholding the girl’s name, as AP does not typically identify youth under the age of 18 who are accused of crimes.
On Sunday the cleric appeared in court wearing a white blindfold and shackles around his wrists, denying all the allegations against him.
"I have not done anything wrong. This is all fabrication," he told reporters.
The girl’s lawyer said her legal team was meeting to discuss how they would proceed with the case. The lawyer said the team would likely move to have the case thrown out.
"These things prove that we are definitely on the right way," said lawyer, Tahir Naveed Chaudhry.
He said the imam’s arrest shows his client is innocent and predicted that his client will soon be freed.
"Definitely she will be released,” he said.
Meanwhile a lawyer representing the imam, Rao Abdur Raheem, claimed police were caving under pressure from authorities to soften the case.
"This deliberate twist in the case is aimed at discouraging complaints under the blasphemy law," he said Sunday in court.
The case against the girl has prompted an outcry from human rights activists and focused attention on Pakistan’s blasphemy laws.
Critics of the laws say they are often used to settle vendettas or seek vengeance. As a result, many minority groups in Pakistan, including Christians, live in constant fear of being accused of breaking the law.
The girl’s lawyer, Chaudhry, said this case could lead to amendments in the blasphemy law to stop its misuse. He made clear, however, that he had no issue with the law itself.
"Our concern is not about the law. The law is made for the betterment of society," he said. "The misuse and abuse of the law must be stopped."
People who are accused of breaking the law, even those who aren’t convicted, often face acts of violent vigilante justice.
In July, a man accused of blasphemy was dragged from a police station and beaten to death. His body was then set on fire.
Yet, few people are willing to undertake the controversial issue out of fear for their life.
Just last year, two politicians were murdered after criticizing the law. One was killed by his own bodyguard.
With files from The Associated Press
