Pakistan frees Christian girl accused of blasphemy

A young Christian girl accused burning pages of the Islam’s holy book has been freed from a jail near the capital, according to a Pakistani jail official.

The release comes a day after a judge granted her bail.

Mushtaq Awan said the girl left the prison in Rawalpindi, a garrison city near Islamabad, this afternoon.

She has been held for a little over three weeks after neighbours accused her of violating the country’s strict blasphemy law.

She was taken from the prison in an armoured vehicle and whisked to a waiting helicopter while covered with a sheet to protect her identity.

Her lawyers say they will now push to have the case against her thrown out entirely.