Court acquits Christian on death row for blasphemy
ISLAMABAD » A Christian woman who spent eight years on death row under Pakistan’s blasphemy law was acquitted and ordered released Wednesday by the country’s top court, a ruling that raised fears of violence by religious extremists who held angry protests over the verdict.
Asia Bibi was in an undisclosed location for her safety, and her lawyer said he expected that she would soon leave the country. France and Spain have offered asylum to the 54-year-old mother of five, who is a Roman Catholic.
Chief Justice Mian
Saqib Nisar, who had received death threats, announced the landmark verdict that fully overturned her 2010 conviction to a packed courtroom amid increased security.
Thousands of supporters of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik party, led by firebrand cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi, took to the streets in protests, demanding Bibi’s public execution. Rizvi has turned out tens of thousands of supporters before, often forcing authorities to bow to his demands on religious matters.
Hundreds of Islamists blocked a road linking the city of Rawalpindi with the capital, Islamabad, and protests were held in Karachi, Peshawar and other cities. In the eastern city of Multan, police arrested several demonstrators after clashes.
Security forces moved quickly, deploying outside churches to protect minority Christians and urging demonstrators elsewhere to disperse peacefully. Commandos were sent to protect Nisar and the other two judges of the Supreme Court after a cleric in the eastern city of Lahore urged religious extremists to kill them.
The outburst over the divisive blasphemy law prompted Prime Minister Imran Khan to go on national TV to guarantee their safety and criticize those who made verbal attacks on Pakistan’s institutions, including his government.