Asia Bibi: Imran Khan attacks hardliners over court case

[Eugene]

Source: BBC

Asia Bibi: Imran Khan attacks hardliners over court case

31 October 2018

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has attacked hardliners and appealed for calm after the acquittal of a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy.

In a televised broadcast, Mr Khan said hardliners were "inciting (people) for their own political gain", claiming they are "doing no service to Islam".

The landmark Asia Bibi case has already set off violent protests by hardliners who support strong blasphemy laws.

Her lawyer has told the BBC she would need to move to abroad for her safety.

Asia Bibi was convicted in 2010 after being accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad in a row with neighbours.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46048433

[edhopper]

1. Id there room for critical thinking in Islam?

someone here asked.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Pakistan works to stop Asia Bibi leaving after blasphemy protests

Bibi’s lawyer, Saif-ul-Mulook, has reportedly since fled the country amid fears for his life, telling AFP: “I need to stay alive as I still have to fight the legal battle for Asia Bibi.”

The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) administration signed an agreement with the anti-blasphemy group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) on Friday night, giving in to many of its demands in the face of massive, countrywide protests calling for Bibi to be put to death.

In a document signed by the PTI’s religious affairs minister and the TLP’s second-in-command, Pir Afzal Qadri, the government promised not to oppose a court petition to reverse Bibi’s release. It also pledged to work in the meantime to put her name on the exit control list (ECL) which would prevent her leaving the country.

“Placing Asia Bibi on the ECL is like signing her death warrant,” said Wilson Chowdhry of the British Pakistani Christian Association. Bibi, a mother of five, remains in the same prison where last month two men tried to kill her, although she has been shifted out of her windowless cell.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/02/outrage-as-pakistani-government-vows-to-stop-asia-bibi-leaving

Khan will have her blood on his hands if he doesn't actively keep her and her family safe.