KASUR, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- A Pakistani court on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 sentenced a Christian couple to 25 years in prison for defiling the Quran, the Muslim holy book, ANS has learned.

Munir Masih and Ruqqiya Bibi (right) talking to CLAAS Pakistan case worker

According to the Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) UK Munir Masih and Ruqqiya Bibi were accused of touching Quran with unwashed hands.

A blasphemy case was registered against Ruqqiya Bibi and her husband Munir Masih on December 19, 2008 under 295-B of Pakistan Penal Code (an offense that carries life imprisonment, if convicted) at Mustafabad Police Station in Kasur, a city near Lahore.

Mr. Nasir Saeed, Director CLAAS-UK told our correspondent that the pair were granted bail but the hardliner Muslims allegedly pressured police to implicate them for committing blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad, an offense that carries death sentence, if convicted.

ANS has learned that the pair managed to get bail again.

The final arguments of the case were presented before the court on February 18, 2010 by CLAAS lawyer, Mr. Tahir Gul Sadiq

The UK-based human rights activist said that Ruqqiya Bibi and Munir Masih were sentenced for 25 years imprisonment by the judge, Mr. Ajmal Hussein in Kasur on March 2, 2010.

Saeed told our correspondent that Masih and his wife had been receiving financial assistance from CLAAS since they got into blasphemy-related trouble.

Police, he said, arrested Ruqqiya Bibi and her husband Munir Masih from the court and have sent Masih to the Kasur District Jail and Ruqqiya to the Multan Women Jail.

“CLAAS is grieved by the sad end of the story and is going to file an appeal in the High Court Lahore on behalf of Ruqqiya Bibi and her husband Munir Masih against their 25 years imprisonment,” said Mr. Saeed.

Dan Wooding, 69, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 46 years. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS). He was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC., and now hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on KWVE in Southern California and which is also carried on the Calvary Radio Network throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK. Wooding also a regular contributor to The Weekend Stand on the Crawford Broadcasting Network, and a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 192 countries. He is the author of some 43 books. Two of the latest include his autobiography, “From Tabloid to Truth”, which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link. Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, also recently released “God’s Ambassadors in Japan” which is available at amazon.com.