Christian Eighth Grader Accused of Blasphemy Due to a Spelling Error
Washington, D.C. (September 27, 2011) – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that yesterday more than 50 Muslim leaders in Havelian, Pakistan demanded that police charge a 13-year-old Christian girl with blasphemy after she misspelt a word while writing about Muhammad.
Faryal Bhatti mistakenly used the word laanat (curse) instead of naat (hymn) while answering a question about a poem that praised Muhammad. The 8th grader was then expelled from school for blasphemy and now remains in hiding with her family due to Muslim threats.
“Christians are gripped with fear because of this incident. Muslims clerics are very angry. Muslims want the Christians to leave the area,” said a Christian resident of Havelian in an interview with ICC.
According to Pakistan’s blasphemy law, blaspheming Muhammad is a crime punishable by death. The law also states that desecrating the Quran, which is considered blasphemy, is a crime punishable by life imprisonment.
ICC’s Regional Manager for South Asia, Jonathan Racho, said, “It is outrageous for the Muslim mob to accuse Fayal of blasphemy for making a mistake in spelling. This latest incident shows that blasphemy accusations are nothing more than a tool used by Muslim mobs to incite and carry out violence against Christians. We urge Pakistani officials to protect Faryal, her family, and all the vulnerable Christians in Havelian from attacks.”