Alarming news from Pakistan about the arrest of an 11 year old Christian girl with Downs Syndrome

We have received reports of a new and appalling low in the ongoing abuse of blasphemy laws.  Allegedly, a Quran was found with some of its pages burned by Muslims in a Christian area of Islamabad - in previous cases the burning has nearly always shown to have been done by Muslims, or by mentally unstable people - and worse, they have had an 11 year old Christian girl with downs syndrome called Rimsha Masih arrested and charged with the crime.  Rimsha was arrested on the 17th August 2012.

Muslim extremists are threatening to burn down every Christian house in the community.  Several thousand Christians have fled the suburb and are in hiding, along with the family of the victim.  Mobs of over a thousand Muslims have surrounded the community and are burning tyres.

At the last account, Christian human rights workers have persuaded local Mullah's not to authorize the threatened attacks after Friday prayers.  Some went to the local police station and report the situation on the ground is very bad.  It is quite evident that the police they talked to have already assumed her guilt.  They refused to allow the workers to see the FIR, placed by a Muslim called Alsyed Muhammad Ummad.  The police were aggressive and hostile, and appear to have immediately called Muslim youths to the police station to harass the Christian workers.  The police said 'She has burned our holy book and you are here to protect her'.  It is quite clear that the police are hostile to the accused, presume her guilt and have no regard for her status as a minor or as one with Down's Syndrome.

Please pray for her and her family.

The Christian rights workers are planning to apply for bail for her immediately after the Muslim Eid celebrations currently ongoing

Source, also information from International Christian Voice on FB