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| Released. Photo: AP |
In August, the young Christian girl was arrested in Islamabad after a Muslim cleric accused her of desecrating the Muslim holy book, the Quran. The cleric was later accused of fabricating evidence against the girl, whose mental capacity was subsequently questioned.
Attorney Abdul Hameed said the court exonerated his client for lack of evidence and dismissed all charges against her, concluding they were based on heresy and incriminated material that
was planted in the girl's possession.
The girl was freed on bail in September and since then she has been living with her parents at some undisclosed location in Pakistan. She has not made any public appearance due to security reasons.
Pakistani and international human right groups have urged the government to change the blasphemy laws, saying they laws are too broad and vague, and are often used by people who are trying to settle scores with rivals or target religious minorities, who make up 5 percent of Pakistan's 180 million-strong population.
The case has caused an international outcry over Pakistan's strict blasphemy laws which carry life in prison or the death sentence. A Muslim cleric was later accused of stashing pages of a Koran in the girl's bag to make it seem like she burned the Islamic holy book. He is now facing charges.
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