Pak envoy to US faces blasphemy charges over remarks on TV show

A case of blasphemy has been registered against Pakistan's ambassador to the US Sherry Rehman over her remarks on a TV show, a charge that carries death penalty.

Police in Multan city of Punjab province registered the case over remarks purportedly made by Rehman on a TV talk show in 2010.

They were acting on a complaint by businessman Fahim Akhtar Gill, who claimed her remarks about the country's blasphemy law were blasphemous.

The 31-year-old businessman had earlier filed a petition in the Supreme Court, which directed police to act according to the law.

The case against Rehman was filed under Section 295-C of Pakistan Penal Code, which carries the death penalty.

Gill told PTI he had obtained an edict against Rehman from clerics of four schools of Islamic thought and attached it to his petition submitted in the apex court.

"Sherry Rehman had mocked the Prophet's sayings and this cannot be tolerated," he said.

In his petition, Gill further contended that Rehman had spoken against the Hadith, or sayings of the Prophet Mohammed, during her appearance on a show aired on Dunya news channel on November 30, 2010.

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