Page 10 - AT

A10 WORLD NEWS
Friday 9 November 2018
Woman freed in blasphemy case still in hiding in Pakistan

By KATHY GANNON "We have no other choice
ISLAMABAD (AP) — A week but to leave," he said. "I
after Pakistan's Supreme love Pakistan but I can't live
Court acquitted her of blas- here."
phemy, a Christian woman Even in Bibi's home village
who had been on death of Aitta Wali — an impov-
row for eight years was erished farming community
freed from detention Thurs- where animals and resi-
day, but her whereabouts dents share tiny, sunbaked
are a closely guarded se- mud houses — there is still
cret following demands outrage over her acquit-
by extremists that she be tal, and its remaining three
hanged in public. Christian families have fled.
The case of Aasia Bibi has "Our entire village swore on
become a political mine- the Quran that she insulted
field for Prime Minister Im- the prophet but no one be-
ran Khan. He is trying to lieves us and everyone be-
placate the Muslim extrem- lieves her," said Aman Ali,
ists who have threatened one of the villagers. "Before
to topple his government, this, we liked the Christian
while keeping the 54-year- families. We always got
old mother of five safe along. But now there is only
from a lynch mob and also anger."
finding a way to allow her Ashraf Asim Jalali, leader of Pakistani Tehreek-e-Labbaik religious Party addresses a news confer- Some of that anger was
to leave Pakistan without ence with others regarding the acquittal of Christian woman Asia Bibi, in Lahore, Pakistan, Thurs- directed at a visiting AP
bringing rioters into the day, Nov. 8, 2018. reporter, who was told by
streets. Associated Press one resident: "Go. Just get
Bibi has been offered asy- out. Go."
lum by the European Parlia- quittal and deny Bibi per- kind of world view," Hussain pectations that she and Muhammad Afzal Qadri,
ment, which championed mission to leave Pakistan. said in an interview with The her family would leave for a leader in the Tehreek-
her case after she was Khan, who came to power Associated Press. Europe, though their desti- e-Labbaik Party and a
convicted in 2010 under after elections last summer Bibi's ordeal began on a nation has not been con- religious scholar, said he
Pakistan's harsh blasphemy in part on an Islamist agen- blistering hot day in 2009 firmed. Spain and France doesn't regret calling for
law. There has been sharp da, was immediately ac- when she went to fetch have offered her asylum. the deaths of the three
worldwide criticism of the cused by critics of giving in water for herself and fellow Speaking to the AP ear- judges who acquitted Bibi,
law, which remains popular to the extremists. farmworkers. An argument lier this week in the Punjab or for calling on his followers
in the Muslim majority coun- Bibi's release, high-security took place after two wom- capital of Lahore, Masih to overthrow Khan's gov-
try and carries the death transfer to Islamabad and en refused to drink from said he hasn't slept much ernment.
penalty for insulting Islam her likely departure raised the same container as Bibi, since his wife's acquittal At his sprawling madrassa
but also has been used as the possibility that Khan's who is Roman Catholic. and the subsequent out- in the Punjab city of Gujrat,
a way to settle scores and promises to the Islamists The two women later said rage by extremists. His initial Qadri told the AP this week
pressure minorities. could have been an effort Bibi had insulted the Proph- joy quickly turned to sad- that he had the religious
Bibi was with her family un- to buy time. The govern- et Muhammad, and she ness when he realized the authority to declare a fat-
der heavy security after ment, however, has not was charged with blasphe- ordeal was not over. wa, or edict, demanding
being transferred to the openly declared that Bibi my. She was put on trial, He said that he is con- the judges be killed.
Pakistani capital overnight was free to leave. convicted and sentenced sumed by fear every time Pakistan is bound by Islamic
from her detention facility Tehreek-e-Labbaik, in a vid- to death in 2010. his phone rings and haunt- injunctions, he said, adding
in southern Punjab, trigger- eo message that was circu- While her conviction ed by the shouts of "Hang that he was qualified to de-
ing expectations of an im- lated widely Thursday, said was appealed, her case her!" cide such matters. The West
minent departure from the it received government gained worldwide atten- "Sometimes I pace on the only seeks to undermine
country. assurances following Bibi's tion and focused interna- rooftop, sometimes I walk Pakistan's Islamic traditions
For the moment, Bibi re- relocation to Islamabad tional criticism on the blas- on the road outside our and culture, Qadri said.
mained in Pakistan, ac- that she wouldn't leave the phemy law. In announcing home," he said. "I look at Hussain, the author on Paki-
cording to two people country until the review pe- her acquittal last week, a the faces around me and I stani militancy, said the
close to her who spoke on tition was heard. three-judge panel of the wonder if anyone is waiting demonstrations over Bibi's
condition of anonymity so Khan, a former cricket star Supreme Court upheld the to hurt us." acquittal were an attempt
as not to endanger her. and playboy who has em- law itself but said prosecu- Even the mere suggestion to regain positions the ex-
That was confirmed later braced religious conser- tors had failed to prove Bibi of blasphemy can whip tremists had lost in the July
Thursday by Information vatism before he ran for had violated it. mobs into a lynching fren- elections.
Minister Fawad Chaudhry. prime minister, is hamstrung European Parliament Presi- zy in Pakistan. In 2011, the Another rally Thursday in
Following her Oct. 31 ac- by contradictions within his dent Antonio Tajani invited governor of Punjab prov- the southern city of Karachi
quittal by Pakistan's Su- own government, accord- Bibi and her family to Eu- ince was killed by his own drew thousands. One reli-
preme Court, the hard-line ing to Zahid Hussain, who rope. In a letter, a copy of guard after he defended gious leader, Fazlur Rehm-
Tehreek-e-Labbaik Party has written two books on which was seen by the AP, Bibi and criticized the blas- an, whose party was rout-
forced a nationwide shut- the rise of militancy in Paki- Tajani told Bibi's husband phemy law. A year later, ed in the elections, said the
down as its supporters filled stan. Ashiq Masih that the par- Shahbaz Bhatti, the minister "court of the masses" has
the streets for three days to "There are some within the liament is "extremely con- for minorities and a Chris- rejected Bibi's acquittal.
protest the ruling. The rallies party, senior members of cerned for your safety as tian, was shot and killed. The Tehreek-e-Taliban in-
only dispersed after Khan's the party, who are pam- well as your family's, due to For Bibi's husband, leaving surgent group warned any-
government promised that pering religious extremists the violence by extremist Pakistan is painful but re- one who would commit
a court would review a mo- for the sake of votes, and elements in Pakistan." mains a matter of life and blasphemy that "our dag-
tion to challenge the ac- some believe in the same The letter added to ex- death. gers will cut your throat."q