In-focus

Pakistan

US disturbed at blasphemy case against Christian girl

Dunya News

The US has called the arrest of a young Pakistani girl on blasphemy charges deeply disturbing.

The US State Department has called for a transparent investigation into the case of an 11-year-old Christian girl arrested in Pakistan on charges of alleged blasphemy.The spokesperson of the US State Department, Victoria Nuland, when asked about the said arrest during a briefing on Monday, termed the development as ‘deeply disturbing’.This case, the arrest of a young Pakistani girl on blasphemy charges, is deeply disturbing, she maintained while calling for an independent investigation in light of the statement from President Asif Zardari.An 11-year old Christian girl, reportedly suffering from Downs syndrome, was arrested from the outskirts of Islamabad last Thursday, which led to an outcry in the civil society groups about her release from prison on what apparently appears a dubious charge. President Zardari has since taken notice of the case and asked the authorities concerned to look into the details.The State Department also welcomed the move. Our understanding is that President Zardari has now asked the interior ministry to look into the arrest and has underscored that vulnerable populations have to be protected from the misuse of the blasphemy law, Ms Nuland recalled. So we are going to call on the Pakistanis to have that investigation in a transparent way and the presidential statement is very welcome, she added.When asked to explain her statement about vulnerable groups in Pakistan suffering because of the blasphemy law, she said these involved women and children. Whether you are talking about kids or girls, or in this case, theres some information that she may be having some issues, she stated while referring to reports that the arrested girl might be suffering from Downs syndrome.On another question about the criticism of blasphemy law in Pakistan because of its alleged misuse, she declined to give a specific answer. I am not in a position to parse his law and how it might stand up to other laws around the world, but as a general matter concern, like in this case, it is being touted as an abuse, you know, an intentional act for religious purposes may in fact have been something else, she opined.The spokesperson was unsure whether the US authorities had spoken to somebody in Pakistan about this case. I dont know whether our embassy has been in on it, I think President Zardari, to his credit, went out very quickly, so conceivably we have been welcoming of that move in Islamabad as well, she pointed out. But I dont have specifics on it, she added.Ms Nuland did make use of the opportunity to impress upon the Pakistani government to take steps for protection of the rights of minorities. We encourage the government of Pakistan to protect not just its religious minorities citizens but also women and girls, she stressed.It may be noted that this case, along with other reports of migration of Hindus to India and discrimination against other minority groups in Pakistan, have attracted global attention after these were reported in the media recently. This has again raised the question of minority rights in Pakistan into sharp focus for the authorities concerned and the public at large.- Contributed by Awais Saleem, Dunya News correspondent in Washington, DC