Pakistani Christian woman held for blasphemy

ISLAMABAD, Feb 3 (Reuters) A Christian woman in Pakistan was being held by police for insulting the Prophet Mohammad, a crime that carries death penalty, police said today.

Martha Bibi, 40, says she was unaware the words she uttered were blasphemous and has pleaded for forgiveness, Investigating officer, Mohammad Rafiq Khan told Reuters by telephone from Chhanga Manga, a town 70 kilometres (44 miles) south of Lahore, Punjab's provincial capital.

Bibi was arrested in Kot Nanak Singh village, near Chhanga Manga, on January 22, based on the word of a fellow villager, but reports of her plight only surfaced in the media today.

''We shifted her to Kasur jail the very next day for safety reasons, as people in the area were very furious,'' Khan said.

Blasphemy cases are fairly common, but death sentences have never been carried out because convictions have always been overturned by high courts for lack of evidence, though there have been incidents where accused have been killed by mobs.

Rights groups say people often make accusations of blasphemy against people they hold a grudge against or belong to a different faith.

The government plans to change the law, probably after parliamentary elections due either late this year, or early 2008.

The Pakistan Muslim League, leading the ruling coalition, does not want to hand Islamist opposition parties an issue before the elections, as it could cost them votes among a conservative electorate.

President Pervez Musharraf, who sees a philosophy of ''enlightened moderation'' for his country, was forced to drop plans to amend the laws seven years ago due to fierce opposition from the Islamist parties.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has long demanded repeal of the law which, it says, is misused against the minorities.

Christians are the largest minority community and make up less than three percent of Pakistan's 160 million, pre-dominantly Muslim, population.

REUTERS KD BD1602