Blasphemy case woman at ‘safe place’ after release
MINISTER SAYS MOST STORIES ABOUT WOMAN ACQUITTED OF BLASPHEMY CHARGES ARE BASED ON SPECULATION
AChristian woman acquitted after eight years on death row in Pakistan for blasphemy was released but her whereabouts in Islamabad yesterday remained a closely guarded secret in the wake of demands by radical Islamists that she be publicly executed.
Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal yesterday, while rejecting the speculation about Asia Bibi’s leaving Pakistan, said she was in Pakistan and at a safe place.
“Let me state clearly that Asia Bibi remains at a safe place in Pakistan,” he remarked at a weekly press briefing here and requested the media to confirm the authenticity of the news on such a sensitive issue as any misleading news item might result in unwanted situation.
“I would also request all of you to verify such news before issuing them, in line with standards of objective, impartial journalism to prevent needless sensationalism and controversy,” the spokesperson said and urged media houses to confirm and reconfirm any news item with him especially those having national implications, before publication or dissemination.
Contradictory reports and stories about Asia Bibi’s exit from the country kept pouring in all of yesterday and ultimately, the Foreign Office had to issue a formal statement denying all such news stories and reports.
Bibi, who was acquitted on the orders of the Supreme Court, is very much in Pakistan and there is no truth in reports of her leaving the country immediately after the acquittal, stated FO spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal, while responding to the media queries.
Bibi’s lawyer Saif ul Malook had a day earlier on Wednesday, in an interview with foreign media, had claimed Bibi was not in Pakistan anymore, having left for an unknown destination after being released from a Pakistani jail.
After the interview, the majority of foreign media channels started running stories about Bibi’s exit from the country, prompting the government authorities to intervene and declare all such news unverified and fake.
Sensitive issue
A statement by Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also came on the heels of the foreign office spokesperson’s declaration, in which Chaudhry had regretted such reports related to possible exit of Asia Bibi’s exit from the country.
On his Twitter account, Chaudhry posted: “It has become a norm to publish fake news for sake of headlines,” Chaudhry said on Twitter. “#AsiaBibi case is sensitive issue; it was extremely irresponsible to publish news of her leaving the country without confirmation. I strongly urge media to act responsible.”
Chaudhry has also appealed to the media to avoid running such irresponsible news as it might hurt religious groups’ sentiments.
A number of European countries and human rights organisations have already expressed their concern over the safety and security of Bibi and her family in Pakistan.
Italy’s government has even offered to provide all necessary assistance to Bibi and her family to leave Pakistan, after Bibi’s husband Ashiq Masih in an interview to a foreign news agency expressed fears that his family could be killed by those who staged violent protests for nearly three days, ransacking government and private properties in reaction to the Supreme Court’s October 31 judgement acquitting the Christian Asia Bibi of blasphemy charges.
According to the Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman, Bibi is a free citizen and after the court’s verdict, she can go wherever she wants.
There is no restriction on the mobility of a free citizen, he further said. However, contrary to his statement, the government is keeping a mum on her whereabouts. As per reports, she was flown from Multan prison to Islamabad a day earlier and is being kept at an unknown place.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s top court has also taken notice of the huge losses caused due to the protesters’ violence, in the wake of Bibi’s acquittal by the apex court.
The court has taken notice to ascertain the estimate of losses and compensate those who lost their valuables or properties during the incidents, said a court spokesperson.
The chief justice has directed the federal and provincial governments to furnish their reports detailing the estimated losses, within three days.
Bibi’s husband expressed fears that his family could be killed by those who staged violent protests for nearly three days, in reaction to the Supreme Court’s October 31 judgement.