Pak Christian girl's bail hearing postponed
A young Pakistani Christian girl accused of blasphemy must wait until at least Monday to learn if she will be given bail, after a judge adjourned her case on Saturday amid doubts over legal paperwork.What is Pakistan's blasphemy law? | Insane to accuse girl of blasphemy: Pak daily
The bail hearing of a minor Christian girl charged with blasphemy in Pakistan was on Saturday put off till Monday after her accuser's counsel raised questions about the lawyer representing her and legal paperwork in the case.
Judge Azam Khan adjourned Rimsha Masih's case till September 3 and asked police to check a bail application made on her behalf after the accuser's lawyer claimed in the district and sessions court that legal papers had not been signed by the girl or her mother.
Rimsha's mother Irshad Bibi had submitted a bail plea on August 25 but the girl had not signed the power of attorney.
The judge asked police to verify the power of attorney and said the hearing would resume once the verification is completed.
On Friday, a court extended Rimsha's judicial remand for 14 days at the request of the police.
She is currently being held at the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where terrorists like Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives accused of involvement in the Mumbai attacks are also being detained. She has been in custody since August 16.
Senators write to Zardari
Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of eight American senators has written a letter to Pakistan President Asif Al Zardari, asking him to address the growing religious intolerance in his country and release the minor Christian girl.
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