Pakistan police say Christian 'blasphemy' girl innocent

ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Pakistani police on Saturday told a court that a Christian girl who spent three weeks in jail is not guilty and a cleric who allegedly framed her should face trial instead.

Investigating officer Munir Jafri said police could not find any evidence against Rimsha Masih, thought to be 14, who was accused in August of burning pages from the Quran in a case which sparked an international outcry.

"We have also told the court that there are witnesses and evidence against the local imam for framing a false blasphemy case against Rimsha," Mr Jafri told AFP.

Judge Ghulam Abbas Shah adjourned the case till Monday, Sept 24 to decide on whether Imam Hafiz Mohammed Khalid Chishti, who was arrested for allegedly adding pages from the Quran to a bag of burnt paper, should face trial.