Too Little - Too Late! 11 Year old Rimsha languishes in adult police cell while President Zardari calls for report on her arrest!

Replacement of representative image- Rimsha Released on bail!

Global reports of an 11 year old child allegedly with Downs Syndrome- arrested for a blasphemy,  have placed Pakistan's blasphemy law under the spotlight again.

Rimsha was arrested on the 11th August 2012 after it was alleged she had burnt 10 pages of the Koran and was found with further ripped pages in a plastic bag.

Thousands of enraged Muslims have circled the small Christian community from which Rimsha belongs,  shouting threats and burning tyres aiming to terrorise people living there in vengeance of the offence to their religion.  This has led to hundreds of Christians fleeing the area to stay with relatives in safer regions.

President Zirdari has now called for a report into Rimsha's arrest.  Oddly enough he has not questioned the veracity of her being tried in the full courts rather than the Juvenile courts? Despite a report on Asia Bibi's arrest, she has been  left languishing in prison for 3 years - pretty worthless if you ask us. We at the BPCA believe President Zirdari should be calling for her immediate release especially considering her existing illness and tender age - any prolonged detention simply does not equate and time wasting could lead to irreparable damage to this vulnerable child.

BBC ASIA News reported on this story:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19315210

The BPCA is organising a protest outside the Pakistan High Commission in London, to highlight the plight of this young victim and to call for reform or abrogation of the Blasphemy Law of Pakistan. Details as follows:

Date:                         Wednesday 22nd August 2012
Time:                         7pm - 9pm
Location:                   Pakistan High Commission, 34- 36 Lowndes Square, London SW1X 9JN
Getting there:           Nearest Station Knightsbridge (Piccadilly line)  Follow this link for a map and bus directions  http://phclondon.org/HC/ContactUs.asp

At our protest Catholic Band Oooberfuse said to be "the Pope's favourite Electro-pop Band" will be performing songs to remember Asia Bibi, Shahbaz Bhatti and now young Rimsha.

Guest Speakers include:

• Rev Noble Samuel - Heston United Reform Church
• Michelle Huberman - Creative Director for Harif (A Group serving Middle-East Jews) and mother of a child with Downs Syndrome.
• Ranbir Singh Hindu Human Rights Group
• Hal from Ooberfuse
• Stephen Anjum (Asylum Seeker)
• Mike Emberson from Aid to the Church in Need