Woman at centre of blasphemy row leaves jail
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani Christian woman who spent eight years on death row for blasphemy has been freed from jail after an acquittal that triggered protests, but is still in Pakistan, officials said on Thursday amid appeals for her to be offered asylum.
Asia Bibi’s conviction was overturned by the country’s highest court last Wednesday, but she remained in prison as the government negotiated with hardliners who blockaded major cities and demanded her immediate execution.
Thousands of supporters of religious parties took to the streets of Karachi on Thursday to protest Bibi’s acquittal. The demonstration comes hours after Bibi was flown from the central city of Multan where she was in custody to a “safe” place elsewhere in Pakistan.
“She has been freed,” her lawyer Saif-ul-mulook said in a text message. “I have been told that she is on a plane but nobody knows where she will land.”
Following protests at last week’s ruling, the government agreed in a deal with religious parties to impose a travel ban on Bibi, and not to challenge a review of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Following Bibi’s release, the Tehreek-e-labaik Pakistan (TLP) vowed to return to the streets if she
THOUSANDS OF SUPPORTERS OF RELIGIOUS PARTIES ON THURSDAY TO PROTEST BIBI’S ACQUITTAL
was allowed to leave the country.
Foreign ministry spokesman Muhammad Faisal on Thursday denied media reports that Bibi had left the country, telling: “She is in Pakistan”. Intelligence sources also said that she had not left the country.
An order for her release arrived on Wednesday at the jail in Multan where she was held, a prison official said. “Asia Bibi has left the prison and has been transferred to a safe place!” tweeted Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament.
Another civil aviation official, in Multan, said a small plane arrived in the city with “a few foreigners and some Pakistanis” on board to fetch Bibi.
Bibi’s husband Ashiq Masih has appealed for Britain or the United States to grant the family asylum and several governments including those of Italy and France have offered to help.