Imam accused of evidence planting in Pakistan blasphemy case

Pakistani police have arrested an imam accused of planting burnt pages of the Koran in the bag of a Christian girl accused of blasphemy, officials say.

The girl was detained two weeks ago near the capital Islamabad after an angry mob demanded she be punished.

However, a witness has testified that imam Khalid Chishti put the pages in the bag himself, local media say.

According to the Tribune.com, Chishti was said to have declared that, 'All you chooras (a derogatory term for South Asian Christians) must leave here immediately or we will pour petrol on you and burn you alive ...You sweepers are only deserving of such treatment.'

However, he told The Express Tribune on Friday that he never played a pivotal role in sparking any tensions, after Rimsha, who reportedly suffers from Down Syndrome, allegedly burned pages inscribed with verses from the Holy Quran.

"Neither I, nor any of my followers participated in the protest rallies. Nor did they instigate any hate campaign against the Christian community of Mehrabadi," Chishti said, adding that "It was a legal issue that involves Rimsha and the eyewitnesses, which will be resolved in the court of law."

Clarifying his position, the imam told The Express Tribune that he went to Rimsha's home after people showed him the papers Rimsha had burned.

He found an angry crowd outside and three to four women attacking her. He claimed that the protestors demanded custody of Rimsha to burn her alive, but he rescued her and later handed her over to the police.

Despite backtracking from his earlier stance, Hafiz Chishti was still scathing of the alleged blasphemy committed by Rimsha Masih, saying what she did was a "conspiracy" to insult Muslims.

He told AFP that "The girl who burnt the Holy Quran has no mental illness and is a normal girl. She did it knowingly; this is a conspiracy and not a mistake. She confessed what she did."

The case of the girl, named as Rimsha Masih, who is said to be about 14, has sparked international condemnation.

A report by a government-appointed medical board seen by the BBC suggests the girl has a mental age of less than 14, the British news agency has reported.

Earlier this week, a court extended Rimsha's detention at a maximum-security prison by a further two weeks.

Her father has said he fears for his daughter's life and for the safety of his family. He has called on Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to pardon her.

Rimsha's parents have been taken into protective custody following threats, and many other Christian families have fled the neighbourhood.

Pakistan's strict blasphemy laws are often used to settle personal vendettas, correspondents say.

Last year two leading politicians were assassinated after speaking out against the legislation.