SIR – Re the Pakistani Christian woman sentenced to death by a misused blasphemy law.

Christian woman Asia Bibi, a mother of five, has been sentenced to death by hanging for blasphemy. This is the first Christian woman who has been sentenced to death under the controversial blasphemy law in Pakistan.

In June 2009 she was asked to fetch water from the fields, when a group of Muslim labourer women objected, saying as a non-Muslim she cannot touch the water bowl.

In Pakistan, Christians are mostly being killed after being accused of spitting on the mosque wall or drinking water from the mosque tap.

On July 25, 2010, the Pakistan High Court released a Christian woman, Zaibunnisa, 60, who was held in prison without trial for 14 years accused under the blasphemy law. It was like throwing her into dungeons.

That the innocent Christian Asia Bibi has been sentenced to death by hanging is an insult to Pakistan’s democratic government, the civilised world and global diversity.

Jim Dutt, chairman, Pakistan Asian Christian Welfare Association, Armidale Way, Bradford