In this photograph taken on August 30, 2012, Pakistani Christian villagers march in Korian during a protest against the country’s strict blasphemy laws. (AFP

Sunday 4 November 2012

LAHORE: A Pakistani court yesterday refused bail to the head teacher of a school caught in a blasphemy row.
Asim Farooqi, 77, was remanded in custody for 14 days on charges of blasphemy — which can attract the death penalty — despite arguing he had no direct part in the case.

One of his teachers, Arfa Iftikhar, was forced into hiding after a furious mob stormed Farooqi Girls’ High School in the eastern city of Lahore over a piece of homework she set.

“The bail petition is dismissed,” Judge Anjum Raza announced after hearing arguments from Farooqi’s lawyer. The lawyer, Jawad Ashraf, had asked for bail on the grounds the head teacher had no role in the incident.
“The principal of the school can only be held responsible for negligence and has no direct role in the blasphemy incident, he should be released,” he told the court.

About 10 clerics from local mosques gathered at the court to oppose the head teacher’s release.
But at the same time around 2,000 students, parents and teachers gathered at the school to demand its reopening, carrying placards and chanting slogans which included: “Release our principal.”

read more here:

http://www.arabnews.com/pak-%E2%80%98blasphemy-school%E2%80%99-teacher-denied-bail