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A10 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 9 OcTOber 2018
Pakistan delays ruling on blasphemy death sentence case

By KATHY GANNON for defending Bibi and criti-
Associated Press cizing misuse of the blas-
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Paki- phemy law. Malook pros-
stan's Supreme Court post- ecuted his killer, Mumtaz
poned its ruling Monday on Qadri, who was hanged for
the final appeal of a Chris- his crime.
tian woman who has been Qadri has since become
on death row since 2010 a martyr to millions, who
after being convicted of make a pilgrimage to a
blasphemy against Islam. shrine erected in his name
The judicial panel listened by his family outside the
to Asia Bibi's defense law- capital, Islamabad. His sup-
yer challenge statements porters have called for the
by those who accused her immediate killing of anyone
of insulting Islam's prophet, accused of blasphemy.
an allegation punishable Pakistan's newly elected
by death that can incite government is led by Prime
riots in conservative Paki- Minister Imran Khan, a for-
stan. mer cricket star who has
The three-judge panel, embraced religious conser-
headed by Pakistan's Chief vatism and bowed to some
Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, of the demands of radi-
did not say why they re- cal Islamists. Last month, a
served their judgment member of his government
or when they would an- offered prayers at Qadri's
nounce their decision. It shrine, drawing outrage
ordered everyone present from rights activists.
to refrain from comment- An unprecedented num-
ing on the case, in an ap- ber of religious parties par-
parent attempt to avoid ticipated in the July elec-
inflaming public opinion. tions that put Khan in pow-
The charge against Bibi er. As in previous elections,
dates back to a hot day in they garnered less than
2009 when she went to get 10 percent of the popular
water for her and her fel- vote, but they have allies
low farmworkers. Two Mus- among all the major par-
lim women refused to take ties. According to the U.S.
a drink from a container Commission on Internation-
used by a Christian. A few al Religious Freedom, 71
days later, a mob accused countries have blasphemy
her of blasphemy. She was laws — around a quarter
convicted and sentenced Saiful Malook, left, defense lawyer for Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman convicted of of them are in the Middle
to death. blasphemy, leaves the Supreme court with a bodyguard in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. East and North Africa and
Bibi's lawyer, Saiful Malook, 8, 2018. around a fifth are European
argued that the many Associated Press countries, though enforce-
contradictions in witness- ment and punishment var-
es' statements tainted the will be acquitted," Malook his identity, he said. "They Assistance and Settlement, ies. Pakistan is one of the
evidence. The two Muslim told The Associated Press look at this house and they provides legal aid as well most ferocious enforcers.
women who leveled the in a telephone interview on know this is the home of a as finding a safe haven for At least 1,472 people were
charges against Bibi de- the eve of the hearing. "She person who can be killed Christians who are targeted charged under Pakistan's
nied they were quarrelling has a very good case." at any time by angry mul- even after being cleared blasphemy laws between
with her, saying her out- He refused to comment at lahs." of blasphemy allegations. 1987 and 2016, accord-
bursts against Islam were the end of Monday's hear- Police provide round-the- "This law is misused and it ing to statistics collected
unprovoked. Yet several ing, citing the judges' or- clock security around Ma- is not only misused against by the Center for Social
independent witnesses ders. look's home, in the city of Christians but also against Justice, a Lahore-based
who gave statements re- Bibi's case has generated Lahore. Muslims," he said. group. Of those, 730 were
counted a cantankerous international outrage, but Members of Pakistan's reli- France, Spain and Ger- Muslims, 501 were Ahmadis
exchange between the within Pakistan it has fired gious minorities have cam- many have all offered to — a sect reviled by main-
women. up radical Islamists, who paigned against the law, welcome Bibi should she stream Muslims as heretical
The prosecution's case use the blasphemy law to which they say is invoked be acquitted, said Francis, — while 205 were Christians
centered mostly on reli- rally supporters and intimi- to justify attacks on them. who said he will help secret and 26 were Hindus. The
gious texts that vilify those date mainstream political For them, Bibi's case is seen her out of the country. center said it didn't know
who make blasphemous parties. as a watershed. Her hus- But Khadim Hussein Rizvi, the religion of the final 10
statements. Even defending Bibi in band recently traveled to the leader of a radical Is- because they were killed
Ahead of the hearing, Ma- court is dangerous. the Vatican to meet Pope lamist party, warned after by vigilantes before they
look expressed optimism "I have lost my health. I am Francis. the postponement that "no could get their day in court.
that he would win the last a high blood pressure pa- Joseph Francis, an activ- blasphemer will be able to While Pakistan's law carries
legal appeal for Bibi. But if tient, my privacy is totally ist for Pakistan's Christians, escape punishment. the death penalty for blas-
not, he planned to seek a lost. You have to be in hid- said he currently is aiding In 2011, Salman Taseer, the phemy and offenders have
review, which could take ing," her lawyer said ahead 120 Christians facing blas- governor of Punjab prov- been sentenced to death,
years to complete. of the hearing. Everyone on phemy charges. His organi- ince, was shot and killed so far no one has ever been
"I am a 100 percent sure she his tree-lined street knows zation, Center for Legal Aid by one of his elite guards executed.q