Asia flown to an Islamabad facility
Confusion persisted on Thursday about the whereabouts of Asia Bibi, the Christian woman at the centre of nationwide protests after she was acquitted of blasphemy by Pakistan’s Supreme Court last week, as she was freed from her death row cell in Multan Jail and flown to Islamabad.
Sections of the media quoted officials as saying on Thursday morning that Asia had been flown out of the country, but Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal denied the reports and said she was still in Pakistan.
“There is no truth in reports of her leaving the country - it is fake news,” Faisal told the media hours after the media reported that Asia had left the women’s prison at Multan in Punjab province and was being flown to an “unknown country”.
The speculation began after Asia’s lawyer Saiful Malook made a statement that she had left Pakistan.
Stef Blok, the foreign minister of the Netherlands, said the Dutch have offered Malook “a place in the Shelter City programme...for human rights defenders at risk”. Bolk tweeted that the Netherlands is closely monitoring “the situation of Asia Bibi”.
The aircraft carrying Asia landed at the old Benazir Bhutto international airport in Rawalpindi, which has been converted into an air force base.
Soon after the landing, she was taken to an undisclosed location in Islamabad amid tight security. The authorities are keeping her movements and whereabouts secret for security reasons.
On Tuesday, Italy stated it will help Asia leave Pakistan because her life is in danger. Her husband Ashiq Masih has reportedly said that they could be killed by those opposing her acquittal.