PESHAWAR, Dec 3: A cleric has announced a reward of Rs0.5 million for anyone who will kill Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman who was recently convicted in a blasphemy case by a local court in Punjab.

The announcement was made by Maulana Yousuf Qureshi while addressing a gathering after Friday prayers here at Chowk Yadgar to record his protest against Punjab Governor Salman Taseer for his efforts to get presidential pardon for the convicted woman.

“Those found guilty of blasphemy cases do not deserve to be freed,” Mr Qureshi said and added that it was a test case for the Muslims to take a unified stand on the issue.

Asked about the caretaker’s statement, Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain told journalists that he could only comment on the issue once he had full information about the speech of Maulana Qureshi.