Muslim leaders: "Rimsha must be released, the sharia says it"

ASIA/PAKISTAN - Rimsha, new postponement: the counter-party does not recognize the medical report

Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) - The case of Rimsha Masih, an 11-year-old Christian girl accused of blasphemy in Pakistan gets more and more complicated. This morning, at the hearing before the judge Javad Abbas, a Court of First instance in Islamabad, the lawyer defending the child, Tahir Naveed Chaudhry, found something new: the lawyers of the counter-party (in this case the boy who had filed a complaint against Rimsha, signing the First Information Report, as an eyewitness of the blasphemous act) were present. So far, in previous hearings, the counter-party was absent. The lawyers raised an objection, questioning the results of the examination on Rimsha carried out by the medical Commission and not recognizing the final report. The judge therefore ordered that this report is subject to a review by experts (forensic experts and senior officials) of the state. The Court then set a new hearing for after tomorrow, September 1st.
The lawyer Tahir Naveed Chaudhry, revealing his and Rimsha's family disappointment, explains to Fides: "We had to deal, for the first time with other lawyers, who did their job. Now we have to wait for the results of this check concerning the Report of the medical Commission, then everything will be in the hands of the Court. I think that September 1st could be the final hearing on the case. We remain confident about the outcome."
Fides sources note that the "counter-party" lawyers were probably funded by radical groups that oppose the release of Rimsha, some of whom were in the courtroom. What surely had an influence were Maulana Tahir Ashrafi's statements, leader of the '"All Pakistan Ulema Council": in recent days he said that the bearers of false accusations against Rimsha Masih (including the imam of the mosque in the neighborhood) should be punished by law and. So a legal battle began and Rimsha is a victim: as confirmed to Fides by the lawyer Chaudry, "the girl is in jail and is not well, she is suffering a lot because of the absence of her parents."
Peter Jacob, Executive Secretary of the Commission "Justice and Peace" of the Episcopal 'Conference, told Fides: "It is sad that, like Rimsha, false accusations of blasphemy cases continue to occur: it is a trend that is recognized in Pakistan and should be stopped. However it should be noted that there is great sympathy towards Rimsha and also on behalf of the Pakistani media: this confirms the growing sensitivity in civil society, the media and also in the Muslim community. In Pakistan there is an introspection on the meaning and consequences of this law. We hope that some forms of safeguards are introduced to stop the abuse and protect the innocent victims. I believe that the debate in the media can create the conditions and the cultural terrain useful to intervene and change the law." (PA) (Agenzia Fides 30/08/2012)

ASIA/PAKISTAN -

Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) - Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer is a Salafi Muslim leader. He is the current Secretary General of the "Jamiat Ahle Hadith" ("Assembly of the followers of the sayings of the Prophet"), the political-religious party, part of the Islamic fundamentalist network "Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal", present in Parliament. He is the director of the monthly magazine "Al-Ikhwah", published in Urdu. In past years it was at the forefront in all the demontrations of fundamentalists to define the blasphemy law "untouchable". According to information sent to Fides, Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer spoke in favor of Rimsha Masih, a Christian girl accused of blasphemy: "If she is found to be a minor, she has to be released, and if the allegations are false, the guilty must be punished. No one has the right to take justice into their own hands. The blasphemy law needs procedural amendments to prevent abuse."
After the words of Mullah Tahir Ashrafi, leader of the '"All Pakistan Ulema Council", who defended Rimsha in recent days, calls for "an impartial investigation and protection for the Christian community", Pakistan Muslim leaders and intellectual scholars who have spoken out in favor of Rimsha grows. Fides has gathered the opinions of leaders of various Islamic organizations and institutions.
According to Muhammad Hussain Akbar, head of "Idara Minhaj-ul-Hussain", "the girl, a minor, is not to blame and should be released immediately." Pir Shafaat Rasool, Administrator of the madrasa "Bilal Markaz" in Lahore, points out that according to the sharia the girl is blameless: "Islam protects all non-Muslims. In order to prove the charges against a minor Islam prescribes a different procedure than that required for a mature person. Instead of inflicting punishment, Islam should teach and guide a child with love and sympathy, if he/she commits an error. Therefore, in my opinion, Rimsha must be released immediately."
Allama Mushtaq Hussain Jafri agrees, President of the organization "Tahafuz-e-Pakistan Jafria": "Islam respects and protects the rights of all and provides for different procedures when it has to do with children. Moreover, one cannot attribute to another a phrase until the charge is not proven. "
Allama Javed Akbar Saqi, head of "Wahdat-e-Islami" and Secretary General of the "Interreligious Peace Committee" of Punjab said: "The girl is a minor and mentally disabled. An impartial investigation is necessary. The story seems stale and contrived. In the past incidents such as these proved to be false and without foundation." Also according to Hafiz Muhammad Mudassar, leader of "Khateeb Jamia Masjid Anwaar-e-Madina", "the girl is not an adult and mentally ill. It is not appropriate to allocate these allegations to her. She must be released immediately."
Liaqat Baloch, Secretary General of "Jamat-e-Islami", announced his commitment: "We are trying to find a solution to resolve the situation. One should bear in mind that the girl is a minor and has mental problems. It seems to me that there is too much lawlessness in Pakistan and that no one is safe."
According to some scholars interviewed by Fides, the choice of the Sunni Muslim leaders in favor of Rimsha has two sides: religious (according to the Islamic law) and also political. After a recent massacre of Shiite Muslims by the Taliban in Pakistan, in fact, the rift between Sunni Muslims (the majority) and Shiites (25%) has deepened, which in the past were united on issues related to Islam. The Shiites, considered by the Taliban "non-Muslims", are defined as "minority" and have broken the alliance with the leader of Sunni organizations. They now plan to work towards reunification, seeking a common position on a case of great media coverage such as the case on Rimsha. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 30/08/2012)