Asia Bibi: Timeline of events
The blasphemy case of Asia Bibi, a Roman Catholic, goes all the way back to 2009. Here’s a look at the series of events that eventually led to her acquittal
14 June, 2009: Asia Noreen Bibi, a Roman Catholic, had an argument with three Muslim women when she was asked to fetch water while they were working in the fields in Sheikhupura, near Lahore. The Muslim women objected to her touching the water bowl. A few days later, the Muslim women complained to a cleric that Asia made “derogatory remarks” about Prophet Mohammed. The cleric approached the police, who opened an investigation. She was arrested and prosecuted under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, which carries the death penalty.
8 November, 2010: Asia Bibi was convicted and sentenced to death by a court in Sheikhupura for allegedly making derogatory comments about Prophet Mohammed.
17 November, 2010: Pope Benedict XVI called for the release of Asia Bibi, saying Christians in Pakistan are often the victims of discrimination.
4 January, 2011: Then Punjab governor Salman Taseer was assassinated by a police bodyguard because he visited Asia Bibi in jail and told then president Asif Ali Zardari that she deserved clemency. Acting on Taseer’s plea to get Asia Bibi released, Zardari ordered a review of her case.
2 March, 2011: Pakistan’s lone minority minister, Shahbaz Bhatti, was assassinated after he campaigned to bring about reforms in the blasphemy laws.
16 October, 2014: The Lahore high court upheld Asia Bibi’s conviction and approved her death sentence.
22 July, 2015: Pakistan’s Supreme Court suspended the death sentence till the time the appeals procedure was completed.
31 October, 2018: In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court bench set aside Asia Bibi’s conviction and ordered her release.