Islamabad (Pakistan): Finally some relief for the oppressed Christians here. Five Pakistani Christians who were falsely accused of blasphemy in April 2007 and had been detained in prison, were recently acquitted of the charges, according to reports.

The district judge acquitted Salamat Masih (42), his son Rashid (16), and their three relatives on January 13, 2009 after the Muslim witnesses withdrew their testimony. The acquittal comes as a result of out of court meetings held between Muslim leaders and a representative of the Christian organization Sharing Life Ministries Pakistan.

In these meetings, the Christian representative was able to convince the Muslim leaders that the alleged blasphemy claims grew from a misunderstanding, prompting the Muslims to issue a religious edict declaring the innocence of the believers.

This page is updated on February 6, 2009