Pakistan blasphemy case: Italy reaches out to acquiring woman as fears grow for her safety – Technology

Posted

November 07, 2018 11:42:05

Pakistani woman in the hands of a Pakistani woman.

The Foreign Ministry said it was coordinating with other countries to the Asia Bibi and her family, which is facing increasing demands of hardline Islamists for her execution.

In a statement, the ministry said it was ready to act on whatever the Italian Government might decide, an indication that an offer of asylum might be in the offing.

Italy's anti-migrant interior minister Matteo Salvini stressed that it would be "all that is humanly possible" to ensure Ms Bibi and her family are safe, either in Italy or another country.

Ms Bibi's box has been closely followed in Italy for years, with Pope Francis meeting with a show of solidarity.

The offer was just one day after Ms Bibi 's husband, Ashiq Masih, himself appealed to US President Donald Trump and reached out to Canada for badistance.

"Please help us, we are in trouble in Pakistan," Mr Masih appealed to Mr Trump in a brief video message.

Ms Bibi was convicted and sentenced to death in 2010 for insulting Islam's prophet, but Pakistan's top court was acquitted last week.

The acquittal set off violent protests from members of the ultra-right Tehreek-e-Labaik (TLP) party, who shut down major roads in Pakistan's biggest cities, torching scores of vehicles and attacking government and public property.

They have also called for the murder of the Supreme Court Judges who have acquitted Ms Bibi and the Honorable Prime Minister Imran Khan and the country's army chiefs of Islam.

Police said more than 150 people were arrested on charges of arson, vandalism and violence.

They have threatened to escape the protests if they are allowed to leave the country.

"There will be a war if they send Asia out of country," TLP leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi said after the deal with the Government was reached.

Ms Bibi's lawyer, Saiful Mulook, fled to the Netherlands.

Ms Bibi was convicted of blasphemy in 2010 for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Islam.

She has always denied committing blasphemy.

Federal minister for minorities Shahbaz Bhatti was killed after calling for her release.

Two other western countries have weighed in the box that has caused global outrage, with German Chancellor Merkel's Angela Merkel's conservative advocacy party.

On Tuesday, Canada's foreign minister, Chrystia Freeland, said Ms Bibi's safety was a "central priority for our government", after meting with her European Union counterpart, Federica Mogherini, in Montreal.

"Canada calls on Pakistan to take all measures necessary to ensure the safety of Asia Bibi and her family," Ms Freeland said. "Canada is prepared to do everything we can."

Reuters / AP

topics:

government-and-politics,

world-politics,

immigration,

Refugees,

unrest-conflict-and-war,

christianity,

death,

Islam,

religion-and-beliefs,

crime,

law-crime-and-justice

Pakistan,

italy,

Canada,

germany,

united-states,

united-kingdom