Pakistani cleric offers reward for killing Christian

A hardline Pakistani Islamic cleric has offered a reward to anyone who kills a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy against Islam.

Maulana Yousef Qureshi told a rally in the north-western town of Peshawar that his mosque would give $6,000 to the person who kills Asia Bibi.

Bibi, who is in jail, was sentenced on November 8 to hang for insulting the Prophet Mohammed.

She and her family say the charge is baseless.

Her case has attracted international attention and a personal appeal from Pope Benedict XVI for her freedom, while government officials have talked about the possibility of a presidential pardon.

Islamist groups protested against any move to show leniency toward her.

Authorities were not available for comment on Quereshi’s announcement.