A Christian girl accused of blasphemy over the burning of the Koran has been acquitted by a Pakistani court, her lawyer said.Rimsha Masih, 11, faced the death penalty after being arrested in Islamabad in August when her neighbour Mohammed Khalid Chishti, a Muslim cleric, accused her of desecrating the holy book.
The cleric was later accused of 'framing' Masih by fabricating evidence in a case that went to the highest levels of the Pakistani government and sparked international outrage at the country's strict blasphemy laws.
Attorney Abdul Hameed said a court in Islamabad dismissed all the charges against Masih on Tuesday, concluding they were based on heresy and incriminated material that was planted in the girl's possession.
'I am happy that the poor girl's ordeal is now over,' Hameed said.
Masih was released on bail in September but was flown by helicopter to an unknown location.
There were fears Masih and other Christians in her neighbourhood could be in danger if she remained there.
In Pakistan, the mere allegation of causing offence to Islam can mean death, with some killed even if they are found innocent by the courts.
Source: Daily Mail, November 20, 2012
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