LAWYER FEARS FOR SAFETY
Despite threats, man who saved woman accused of blasphemy regrets nothing
AFTER saving condemned Christian Asia Bibi from the gallows, her lawyer says he is facing the wrath of extremists — and wonders who will save him.
But despite the threats, Saiful Mulook says he regrets nothing, and will continue his legal fight against intolerance.
Saiful’s latest victory saw the freeing of Asia Bibi — a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy, who spent nearly a decade on death row — after the Supreme Court overturned her conviction on Wednesday.
“The verdict has shown that the poor, the minorities and the lowest segments of society can get justice in this country despite its shortcomings,” he said immediately after the verdict.
“This is the biggest and happiest day of my life.”
Demonstrations erupted across the country hours later, with extremists calling for mutiny against the army’s top brass, and the assassination of Supreme Court justices.
Saiful said he felt he was now a sitting duck with no security or escape plan.
“I think I have absolutely no safety. No security and I am the easiest target... anybody can kill me,” he said.
The defence of Asia Bibi was just the latest in a long line of controversial cases taken up by him.
In 2011, Saiful was the lead prosecutor against Mumtaz Qadri in the assassination of Punjab governor Salman Taseer — a critic of the country’s blasphemy laws and supporter of Asia Bibi.
Mumtaz — one of Salman’s bodyguards — gunned down his boss in broad daylight, citing the governor’s calls for reform of the blasphemy laws as his motive.
Saiful said he took on the case as others cowered.
His prosecution resulted in the conviction and execution of Mumtaz, who was later feted by extremists and honoured with a shrine.
Saiful says his life has not been the same since; he rarely socialises and lives in a constant state of hypervigilance.
“If you conduct such cases you should be ready for the consequences,” he said.
But Saiful, 62, said the risks have been worth the reward.
“I think it’s better to die as a brave and strong man than to die as a mouse and fearful person,” he said.