Disabled Pakistani girl may face death penalty for allegedly burning Koran

Just to add some sort of balance to this, as it seems to have been missed out with all the hysteria about Islam, but the Police only reluctantly arrested her, knowing she was disabled, as they had a baying mob of idiots threatening to attack her and any other Christians they found, so to keep the peace they moved her and her family under protection..

They don't expect to press any charges and she certainly does not face the death penalty. C'mon, ATS should be better than this. It is ironic, as many on ATS will disbelieve the "MSM" when they say something you don't like, but when they say something that does jive with your ideals, you believe it hook line and sinker.

Pakistan's president has ordered a report into the arrest of a girl with mental disabilities, reportedly as young as 11, accused of desecrating pages of the Koran.

Police say the girl was arrested last week in a Christian area of the capital, Islamabad, after a furious crowd demanded she be punished.

Officials said the girl could not properly answer police questions.

Her parents have been taken into protective custody following threats.

Many other Christian families have fled the neighbourhood after unrest erupted. Reports say that police arrested her under pressure from the large crowd.

www.bbc.co.uk...

Before you guys start bashing Islam, take a moment and check where in the Hadiths or Quran it says to kill someone for burning the Quran.
Pakistan's blasphemy law has been criticized not only by the West, but Islamic scholars in the world have also deemed it un-Islamic and un-acceptable. Sadly, violent mullahs have brought trouble to the people advocating for the taking down of this law.
Right now, President Asif Ali Zardari is seeking info on the case. We may have intervention.

reply to post by Merriman Weir

It's not as if America takes special, magic pieces of paper lightly either. Look at the bollocks the American right spout with regards the bible and the things they say and do because of what it says on that piece of special, magic paper. If it's not the bible, then how about fetishising another inanimate object? How do Americans feel about flag-burning? I've seen posts on here by Americans going kerrrraaaazzzzzy with regards to Muslims burning their stars and stripes. I wouldn't trust half this board with Muslims, after they'd had a four pack of blue ribbon with a rifle in the back of the truck.

Yeah, but we dont kill someone for burning a bible or burning a flag now, do we?

It's disgusting. As long as this kind of stuff continues, the west should withhold foreign aid.

Originally posted by stumason
Just to add some sort of balance to this, as it seems to have been missed out with all the hysteria about Islam, but the Police only reluctantly arrested her, knowing she was disabled, as they had a baying mob of idiots threatening to attack her and any other Christians they found, so to keep the peace they moved her and her family under protection..

The police don't have it easy either. They get beaten by the crowd if they don't give in. Please don't blame them. They are already suffering a lot.

no one under 18 should be killed, no mentally disabled should be killed, no one for burning Quran or Bible should be killed.

reply to post by RimDaas

no one under 18 should be killed, no mentally disabled should be killed, no one for burning Quran or Bible should be killed.
as you are in Pakistan please give more insight to this story and laws in Pakistan !

They will soon be coming to a neighborhodd near you - and oh btw........there is no such thing as a "so-called "moderate" Musilm/Moslem - by definition they are extremist in the extreme.

I see no one is paying any attention to the facts and is just letting emotional garbage flow freely down the street....

No one is going to be executed and the girl was arrested for her own protection. If the Police had refused, the mob would have set upon her. They have also moved her family to a safe house as well, plus the Pakistani President is "looking into the matter".

Previously, attempts by Pakistani Government minsters to change the blasphemy law have resulted in them being killed or attacked. Anyone who speaks up about them (and there are many voices) is killed or attacked.

I might suggest everyone calm the fudge down, read the story properly and go off half-cocked about how awful Islam is.

Originally posted by HomerinNC


Yeah, but we dont kill someone for burning a bible or burning a flag now, do we?

There's plenty of Americans that would. Quite a few of them on this board, if past threads are anything to go by. As has been pointed out, this is unlikely to pan out with the girl's execution (Pakistan couldn't really risk this going badly with their diplomacy and international relations going down the toilet like a bad Vindaloo).

What this is about is appeasing 'mob mentality' - the police were trying to pacify and diffuse the situation with the other townsfolk. That 'bring torches and pitchforks' isn't specific to Pakistan, I've seen it on here, on ATS, loads of times in the past. I see it on most international forums with a large American presence when they feel 'attacked'. Don't get me wrong, I can understand this (to an extent), I'm just trying to point out, as a detached observer, Pakistan and America aren't that different in this kind of indignant fury.

reply to post by pause4thought

It is difficult to believe a child (aged around 11) with Downs Syndrome would carry out the alleged malicious act. Children with this syndrome are known for being good-natured, kind and loving!

She would not have, not without someone telling her to do it. And even if she had, burning pages of paper is not a crime.

Its not malicious even, when a child does something like this.

I feel the neighbors have targetted her because of her down syndrom, and are deliberately trying to kill her.

But if she did or didn't, could you imagine living in a theocracy with these hideous control rules?

reply to post by butcherguy


As far as I saw it wasn't the Qur'an

Witnesses claim that Rimsha, daughter of Misrak Masih, burnt ten pages of the Noorani Qaida, an Islamic booklet used to learn basic Arabic and the Qur'an.

reply to post by RimDaas


The voice of reason is always appreciated.

Do commentators in Pakistan who deplore violence get a fair hearing, or are they often too fearful to even speak out against extremists in the first place (-as it appears to people outside the country)?


reply to post by stumason


I think you've brought some helpful reflections to the debate.

read the story properly and go off half-cocked about how awful Islam is.

The problem is the mob violence, which is not always discouraged by religious leaders. While the police may well have acted responsibly, as you say, to protect the child and her family, you have to wonder what the outcome would be were the extremists to gain total control of the country — which is a very real concern, and which is why the more tolerant voices need to speak out (or at least promote their position in private).

What is more the gradual 'progression' towards exclusive totalitarian extremism in Pakistan is arguably being implemented with all haste across the Middle East...

Originally posted by maes2
reply to post by RimDaas

 

no one under 18 should be killed, no mentally disabled should be killed, no one for burning Quran or Bible should be killed.
as you are in Pakistan please give more insight to this story and laws in Pakistan !

It happened in Islamabad, while I live somewhere else. BBC has basically covered the whole story, I got on TV and the Newspapers.
The infamous blasphemy law was made by General Zia ul haq who overthrew Zulfikar Bhutto who was really popular. Zia Ul Haq was known to be a fundie but the Americans or the West didn't pay much attention since he was helping them against the soviets. Zulfi also had established a rather threatening alliance with the 2 other Muslim leaders, Gaddafi and King Faisal. I guess the Americans needed him out.
Nowadays mullahs gain control over the masses in Pakistan through religion. Mobs can be very nasty.
Maybe one day this law will be repealed. Who knows.

reply to post by pause4thought


An Islamic scholar once spoke up against the law in Pakistan. He had to leave after getting death threats. This mob violence tends to happen in rural parts, where people aren't provided with many life necessities and turn to religion and mullahs.

reply to post by stumason

Previously, attempts by Pakistani Government minsters to change the blasphemy law have resulted in them being killed or attacked. Anyone who speaks up about them (and there are many voices) is killed or attacked. I might suggest everyone calm the fudge down, read the story properly and go off half-cocked about how awful Islam is.

So what was the religion of people who attacked or killed these government ministers? Christian? Buddhist?.
Was it the same religion as the hundreds of people outside this girls house baying for her blood?
No no, islam is a fun loving, live and let, kind of religion isn't it.

reply to post by Merriman Weir


You have a point there. LOLOL

reply to post by Merriman Weir

Look at the bollocks the American right spout with regards the bible and the things they say and do because of what it says on that piece of special, magic paper.

You can burn a Bible here in America, and you won't fear execution. Try that with in most Muslim countries, using a Koran.

If it's not the bible, then how about fetishising another inanimate object? How do Americans feel about flag-burning? I've seen posts on here by Americans going kerrrraaaazzzzzy with regards to Muslims burning their stars and stripes.

Most of our American flags end up being burned, when following the US Flag Code. Even so, I have yet to see anyone executed for burning one.

I wouldn't trust half this board with Muslims, after they'd had a four pack of blue ribbon with a rifle in the back of the truck.

You may want to give up on the stereotypes, using stereotypes can make a person look silly. A Muslim is a lot safer in the US, practicing his religion of choice than a Christian is practicing their religion in an Islamic republic.

Originally posted by DaMod
reply to post by butcherguy

 

As far as I saw it wasn't the Qur'an

Witnesses claim that Rimsha, daughter of Misrak Masih, burnt ten pages of the Noorani Qaida, an Islamic booklet used to learn basic Arabic and the Qur'an.

edit on 20-8-2012 by DaMod because: (no reason given)

thanks for the clarification.

Even worse when they may execute an 11 year old girl for burning what amounts to a schoolbook.

reply to post by butcherguy


I don't even think this is based on religion. This could be a false accusation, someone trying to get someone in trouble for their own personal reasons.