Protestors in Pakistan have called for a million marchers to flood the streets of Karachi on Thursday (Nov 8) to call for the death of Asia Bibi – the Christian woman declared innocent of blasphemy.
Pakistan has been accused of caving into mob rule following three days of protests aimed at bringing the country to a standstill. Islamists refuse to accept the verdict of the country’s highest court, the Supreme Court, that Asia Bibi is innocent.
The Christian woman has spent eight years on death row, where she was sentenced to death for blasphemy. She was charged after her Muslim co-workers refused to drink water with her, declaring her to be an unclean Christian.
The Supreme Court has ruled that those witnesses were unreliable and the evidence flawed.
‘False’
Asia has always maintained her innocence. The Supreme Court rejected her earlier confession, which they said was beaten out of her.
It ruled that:
• The prosecution had entirely failed in establishing their case ‘beyond reasonable doubt’
• That the two complainants ‘had no regard for the truth and were capable of deposing falsely’ – in other words, they were lying under oath
• And that their testimony was full of ‘glaring contradictions’ and completely false
Life at risk
Protesters have called for the Supreme Court judges to be murdered and for Asia to be hanged. A social media video shows giggling children hanging her in effigy. Asia’s husband and daughters are in hiding, in fear of their lives, and her lawyer has been flown to Holland, after warnings that he was a ‘prime target’.
The protesters have called for the army to mutiny and overthrow the government.
To get them off the streets, the government has given in to pressure to allow a review of the Supreme Court ruling. Unless the court rejects it quickly, it could mean that Asia has to remain behind bars with her life at risk for years to come.
There have been calls for Theresa May to grant asylum for Asia and her family. Release International has called for prayer for Asia, her family, and the Christian minority in Pakistan.
ENDS