The mullah at the centre of the furore surrounding a young Pakistani Christian girl facing a death sentence for blasphemy has been accused of deliberately framing her by planting burnt Islamic texts.
In an extraordinary development in the case, which has attracted international condemnation, Hafiz Mohammed Khalid Chishti arrived in court blindfolded and under tight security after being arrested late on Saturday night. The judge ruled he should be held in police custody for two weeks.
Police say two of his colleagues gave statements that he added pages from the Qu'ran to strengthen the case against Rimsha Masih, who has been in custody for two weeks after she was accused by Muslim neighbours in her Islamabad neighbourhood of burning the holy book.
The crime is particularly serious under the country's much-criticised blasphemy laws and offenders can be sentenced to death. » | Jon Boone in Islamabad | Sunday, September 02, 2012
