The jailing for blasphemy of the girls of Pussy Riot led to protests from almost every superannuated rocker one could think of.
There has been no such concern about Rimsha Masih, a young Christian girl who lives in a slum area called Meharbadi on the outskirts of Islamabad. Or rather lived, since she is currently in an insalubrious adult jail in Rawlpindi, apparently for her own protection. Her family have also fled their home, along with about a thousand of their (Christian) neighbours.
Rimsha Mashi is illiterate and has Down's Syndrome; her family are lowly street sweepers. Her offence? While helping her family, she burned a heap of rubbish. Since she cannot read, she did not notice they included a textbook used to teach the Quran. Although few locals were bothered by this, a cleric and two shopkeepers immediately got on the case, inciting an Islamist rent-a-mob. 'What good are your prayers?' the cleric asked 'if your Quran is being burned'. We have seen that kind of incitement so many times - think back to the murderous attacks on all Scandinavians after the cartoons affair.
The girl then had to be arrested to prevent her being killed, for it is the mob rather than the Pakistani state which most ferociously seeks to enforce blasphemy laws.
The police have every reason to fear for Masih's life. In July a mob dragged a mentally impaired man from inside a police station in rural Punjab, where he was being questioned for alleged desecration of religious texts. They beat him to death and burned his body outside the police station.
Other religious minorities in Pakistan also feel deeply unsafe. Last week, 25 Shia pilgrims were taken from a bus by Sunni extremists and gunned down. Hundreds of Hindus have fled to India in recent weeks. The leader of the Ahmadi sect was assassinated in the teeming port of Karachi. Their graves have been desecrated with Quaranic slogans too.
The Pakistani government has not been spared the hand of diabolical fanaticism either. The Governor of the Punjab was murdered by his own bodyguard for questioning the laws on blasphemy. The only Christian in the government, Sahba Bhatti, was killed for calling for reform of these laws.
So far, I have not heard a word from the likes of millionaire socialite ("journalist") Jemima Khan nor any of those who eagerly latched onto the brilliant self-publicists called Pussy Riot, who doubtless, do not deserve to be in jail. When I do, I'll take them at their own estimation as serious people.
There has been no such concern about Rimsha Masih, a young Christian girl who lives in a slum area called Meharbadi on the outskirts of Islamabad. Or rather lived, since she is currently in an insalubrious adult jail in Rawlpindi, apparently for her own protection. Her family have also fled their home, along with about a thousand of their (Christian) neighbours.
Rimsha Mashi is illiterate and has Down's Syndrome; her family are lowly street sweepers. Her offence? While helping her family, she burned a heap of rubbish. Since she cannot read, she did not notice they included a textbook used to teach the Quran. Although few locals were bothered by this, a cleric and two shopkeepers immediately got on the case, inciting an Islamist rent-a-mob. 'What good are your prayers?' the cleric asked 'if your Quran is being burned'. We have seen that kind of incitement so many times - think back to the murderous attacks on all Scandinavians after the cartoons affair.
Fury: Rimsha Mashi, who is believed to be 11 years old, has been imprisoned in part to protect her from lynch mobs
The police have every reason to fear for Masih's life. In July a mob dragged a mentally impaired man from inside a police station in rural Punjab, where he was being questioned for alleged desecration of religious texts. They beat him to death and burned his body outside the police station.
Other religious minorities in Pakistan also feel deeply unsafe. Last week, 25 Shia pilgrims were taken from a bus by Sunni extremists and gunned down. Hundreds of Hindus have fled to India in recent weeks. The leader of the Ahmadi sect was assassinated in the teeming port of Karachi. Their graves have been desecrated with Quaranic slogans too.
The Pakistani government has not been spared the hand of diabolical fanaticism either. The Governor of the Punjab was murdered by his own bodyguard for questioning the laws on blasphemy. The only Christian in the government, Sahba Bhatti, was killed for calling for reform of these laws.
So far, I have not heard a word from the likes of millionaire socialite ("journalist") Jemima Khan nor any of those who eagerly latched onto the brilliant self-publicists called Pussy Riot, who doubtless, do not deserve to be in jail. When I do, I'll take them at their own estimation as serious people.
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