Pakistan: Imam held on suspicion of evidence tampering in blasphemy case

A Pakistani Imam has been remanded in custody, accused of planting pages of the Koran among burnt pages in the bag of a Christian girl held for blasphemy in a case that has sparked international condemnation. The young girl, Rimsha, believed to be about 14 years old and said to have learning difficulties, was detained two weeks ago near the capital Islamabad after an angry mob demanded she be punished. A prosecutor has said that Imam Khalid Chishti allegedly told a witness that this was a “way of getting rid of Christians.” Last week, a court extended Rimsha's detention at a maximum-security prison by a further two weeks: her father has said he fears for his daughter's life and for the safety of his family, and has called on Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to pardon her. Rimsha's parents have been taken into protective custody following threats, and many other Christian families have fled the neighbourhood. Listen: