Christian girl in Pakistan faces blasphemy charges for spelling error

Misspelling a word led to accusations of blasphemy against a teenage Christian girl in Pakistan.

Faryal Bhatti, a student at the Sir Syed Girls High School, misspelt the word 'naat' (hymn) as 'laanat' (curse) while answering a question on a poem written in praise of Prophet Mohammed.

The error led to accusations of blasphemy against Bhatti and uproar among religious leaders.

According to The Express Tribute, Bhatti's Urdu teacher Fareeda Bibi noticed the error while collecting answer sheets from her students.

She reportedly summoned Bhatti, scolded her and beat her.

Later, the school administration expelled the eighth grade student saying the error was 'serious' enough to fall within the realm of blasphemy.

The school, located in the Pakistan Ordinance Factories (POF) colony at Havelian near Abbottabad, went ahead with the expulsion in spite of Bhatti and her mother apologising.

Adding to the woes, Bhatti's mother was also transferred from the hospital where she worked as a nurse. In addition, the family had to vacate their residential quarters.

Meanwhile, Muslim scholars and civil society activists have condemned Bhatti's expulsion and have demanded an inquiry into the actions of the school.

Mufti Naeem of Jamia Naeemia, Karachi; Allama Asghar Askari, president of the Punjab chapter of the Majlis-e-Wahdul Muslimeen; Professor Sajid Mir, head of the Jamiat Ahle Hadith; and Mufti Muhammad Khan Qadri, convenor of the Milli Majlis-e-Sharai have come out in support of Bhatti.

As tension gripped parts of the area, the colony's managing director Asif Siddiki has called a meeting of local clerics and school teachers to discuss the situation.