A cleric in Pakistan has offered a reward of Rs.500,000 for anyone who kills a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy.
"I will give Rs.500,000 to a person who will kill Aasia," said Maulana Yousaf Qureshi, the prayer leader of the historic Mohabbat Khan Masjid in Peshawar.
He made the remarks during a rally of the Jamaat-e-Islami party on Friday to protest against calls for amendments in the controversial blasphemy law and Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer's efforts to have the woman pardoned, reports Daily Times.
Asia Bibi, a mother of five, was sentenced to death by hanging under the blasphemy laws Nov 8, according to media reports.
The cleric also appealed to the terror group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to kill her. "To kill the woman is a service to the religion," he said.