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YOU MAY HAVE heard the name Asia Bibi in recent weeks.
The Catholic woman spent eight years on death row in Pakistan for blasphemy before being acquitted last month.
Since her release from a prison in central Multan, she and her family have been in hiding amid death threats and calls for her execution from extremists.
Here’s a recap of her story and what may happen next.
Bibi’s arrest stems from a 2009 incident in which she fetched water for herself and fellow farm workers. An argument took place after two Muslim women refused to drink from the same container as Bibi because of her religion.
A fight erupted and a local imam claimed Bibi insulted the Prophet Mohammed – a charge she denies.
Bibi, who is a mother-of-five and now aged 54, was convicted and sentenced to death in 2010. Since then activists from Pakistan and all over the world have been campaigning for her release.
Almost everyone living in Pakistan – about 96% – are registered as Muslim. About 1.5% of people are listed as Christian.
Bibi’s case highlighted divisions between traditionalists and modernists in the country, and her Supreme Court acquittal on 21 October sparked violent protests.
Blasphemy is a massively inflammatory issue in Pakistan, where even unproven allegations of insulting Islam and Prophet Mohammed have led to lynchings and murders.
International asylum
During the week, Bibi’s lawyer said she and her family want to leave Pakistan for any Western country willing to issue them visas.
“I hope the Western world is trying to help her,” Saiful Malook said. He added that talks are taking place with several countries, as well as the European Union, but he didn’t give any further details.
Several countries have offered Bibi asylum, including Canada, Spain and France. Indeed, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said Ireland “would like to help” her.
Speaking last weekend, Flanagan said: “Should an application be received, I would be confident that it would receive favourable consideration.
We would certainly like to be of assistance if we could be and so if there is a request we would respond favourably and appropriately to ensure the safety of someone who is clearly in danger in their own country.
Malook left Pakistan after the Supreme Court’s acquittal, fearing for his own safety. He said he’s also looking for somewhere to move to, adding that Germany would be one of his preferences because his late wife was from there.
Demands for public execution
In recent weeks Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) party launched nationwide protests demanding Bibi’s public execution and the party’s founder, Mohammad Afzal Qadri, called for the death of the three Supreme Court judges who ruled to acquit her.
Qadri has also called for the overthrow of the Pakistani government. Protests ended after the government agreed to a Supreme Court review.
However, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has gone on national television saying that the Supreme Court’s decision will be final and upheld. Malook also said the chances of the acquittal being overturned are slim.
TLP’s leader, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, and several supporters were arrested by police in Lahore yesterday. The party has called for more protests to take place tomorrow.
Rumours about Pope Francis
Rumours are rife in Pakistan that Bibi has already left the country, with fake reports claiming she met with Pope Francis in the Vatican – a claim debunked by AFP.
The government has repeatedly stated that Bibi is being held in a secure location in Pakistan, though her exact whereabouts are unknown.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi reiterated this position in Islamabad on Wednesday, saying: “We have clarified earlier and we clarify it again. She has not gone abroad. She is here. There is no controversy.”
Bibi is not allowed to leave the country until the final review into her case is complete. Until then, eyes from all over the world will remain fixed on Pakistan.
Contains reporting from Associated Press and © AFP 2018
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Sure the funny thing is you think you’re Taoiseach already….
Enda Kenny pulled a master stroke by making Leo Varadkar minister for health…..
After the next election you’ll never work in politics again…
But you definitely will get a job in The Journal…
They Fecking love you….
Who’d want it now, that party is a busted flush!!
In 2010 after backing Richard Brutal for leader, Varadkar said it would be “very hypocritical” to take a spokesmanship job on the frontbench, under a man he had stood against (Kenny)
Didnt stop you taking a cabinet position under him though, did it Varadkar!
Leo the liar
Really getting great mileage out of that interview. The love affair continues.
Remember Leo even a turkey will fly in a hurricane,
He’ll be as relevant as Micky Martin
But Leo.
After the next general election, FG will be no more.
Leo couldn’t possibly answer a question about leadership ambition with the truth – besides the point that I don’t think he knows how not to tell porkies,
Stop trying to get us to like this clown.
Quick question, who are all these people that are linking Leo’s name to leadership of FG, no-one I know is?
I am.
That’s good Tap
They can all go down the same plughole.
I wonder what he is like as a doctor and would he be better off if he went back into that profession?
Some people like him others don’t, and maybe it would be better if he cut his losses while he is ahead. God knows there are enough young people wasting away doing things that are so far removed from the jobs they trained for. Many are lucky to even have a job because of this government’s arrogance and indifference to youth unemployment.
The economy is recovering. Taxes are reducing. Nice!
Okay Powerabbey where to start….
where to start….
So the government gave people e5 in the budget per week regardless of income to families then takes away e3-4 of that in water charges. While people on 100k or more got e700 of a cut plus this e5 on a children’s allowance payment from the social welfare. Yes the highest in society are claiming social welfare payments………….but thank you Jesus and all of the above (if you believe in that sort of thing, I do, many do not) for the e1 per week pocket money for all the plebs….
I’ll vote for the first party to come out and say that IW is being scrapped immediately..simple as that..
He won’t have a f****** job in the new year. the irish people are going to drop kick Enda Kenny through the goalposts of life. And i phone Joan will be on the touchline
Michael Martin current leader of Fianna Fáil, in spite of the comments of Fine Gael and Sinn Fein supporters on here, will be the next Taoiseach of this country of ours and he will lead this lovely country onto new prosperity and better living.
Gerrymiah wtf…… What’s Martin going to do different??? All plans water charges etc was agreed under the previous government with him, country is on the road to recovery… Europe controls is doesn’t matter wanta muppet in charge…. Don’t forget Fianna Fáil ruined this country had the people a short term memory????
Forget to take your medication this morning Jer.
gerry
You’re not fully awake yet lad, give it time you will come around, too much christmas pudding, fruit cocktail, pina coladas, and of course the one for the road, get plenty of water into you, then reassess you’re comment.
That is probably true as the electorate here have short memories. The electoral cycle goes: FF get into government, but then wreck the economy by buying elections, people then get fed up and put FG in to clean up the mess. When that is done, then FG gets turfed out of office on to the opposition benches with FF returned to power to wreck the economy again and they then get thrown out for FG to clean up the mess again, etc , etc
You ok Gerry? I do worry…..
Who gives a flying fcuk what this dipstick wants?
That’s what Frank Underwood said & look where it got him…
“Personal ambition is the last thing on my mind” Ha. Who are you trying to fool Leo?
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