Now even Police admit there is no evidence to support Rimsha blasphemy allegation!

The Police authorities of Islamabad have confirmed there is no evidence to prove Rimsha Masih the young child accused under the iniquitous blasphemy law of Pakistan, desecrated any religious or holy papers.

In a revised charge sheet submitted to Islamabad District and Session Court (Friday 21st Sept 2012), Police claim that the accused local Imam Mohammed Khalid Chisti was guilty of tampering with evidence.  The document states that he added torn and burnt pages of holy text into a bag that was being carried by Rimsha.  The evidence is currently being examined further at a forensic laboratory in Lahore.

Judge Ghulam Abbas Shah adjourned the case till Monday, Sept 24 to decide on whether Hafiz Mohammed Khalid Chishti should face trial.

Police claim that no-one has identified where Rimsha  was alleged to have burnt the holy text and that two witnesses have testified that it was Rimsha's six year old sister who had disposed the rubbish outside the house of one Maqbool Ahmed, where it was later found by a Mehreen Noor the daughter of Mr Ahmed.  Ms Noor then sent then burnt pile of papers to Imam Chisti. 

The police also state  in their report that Chishti is “an educated person and knows religion and the sanctity of the Holy Quran.” Moreover, the police accuse Chishti of deliberately tearing two papers from the Holy Quran to add them into the pile of burnt papers, and preparing a false testimony. Chishti had also signed the testimony as a witness. The police report further claims that Rimsha, a minor Christian girl, is illiterate and her mental age is not equivalent to her actual age, which is 14.

Rao Abdur Rahim, the counsel for Rimsha’s neighbour Hammad Malik who had accused her along with Chishti, said he was not satisfied with the police report. He has promised to make her face trial blaming investigators with "bad intent" for these new revelations that seem to exonerate Rimsha Masih.

The district attorney, who signed the charge sheet along with a note of objections, observed: 

“Had Khalid Chishti burnt the Holy Quran, prior to adding them in the evidence, he could be declared accused under section 196 PPC.”

Wilson Chowdhry said;

"It would be a travesty of justice and a blight on Pakistan's human rights and legal record if Imam Chisti is tried under section 196 of the Pakistan Penal Code, especially considering the weight of evidence supporting his blasphemy.  Rimsha Masih, was beaten arrested and imprisoned on the basis of a purported desecration of the Koran, punishable under the iniquitous blasphemy laws of Pakistan - Imam Chisti should be tried under these same laws.  Failure to enact this procedure would highlight the duality of the Pakistani Justice system and would cement the notion of impunity for persecutors of minorities."

He added;

"Rimsha and her family who have suffered great anxiety throughout this ordeal should be duly compensated and protected. Many of her villagers are homeless or seeking relocation fearful of the neighbours that once accepted them.  The Government of Pakistan has a duty to these people and must ensure that they are kept safe from harm and that their lives can return to a relative normality."