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Acquitted a week ago after eight years on the death row for blasphemy, Asia Bibi was finally released on Wednesday. She remains in a "safe place" inside the country, where Islamist circles still pose a threat to the life of this Christian.
"She is still in Pakistan," Foreign Ministry spokesman Muhammad Faisal said, as some media reports said he was leaving abroad for the night. Asia Bibi's life is considered to be in grave danger in the country and her family has been soliciting help from several Western countries in recent days to welcome them.
»READ ALSO – Le Figaro editorial:" Asia Bibi, our sister "
His release has already provoked the fury of many radical Islamists who have long called for its execution and announced a big demonstration this Thursday in Karachi, the big city of southern Pakistan. Others might follow on Friday. "#AsiaBibi left the prison and was moved to a safe place! I thank the Pakistani authorities, "tweeted the President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, adding the expectation" as soon as possible with her husband and family "in Brussels. According to several airport sources, Asia Bibi, who was imprisoned for years in the city of Multan (center) was evacuated Wednesday night aboard a plane bound for Islamabad. "She was released. I was told she was on a plane but no one knows where she will land, "AFP Saif ul-Mulook told AFP in a message to AFP.
The announcement of Asia Bibi's release from prison immediately angered Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), a small, radical party that blocked three days of the country's main roads last week to protest against its acquittal, prompting Prime Minister Imran Khan's government to sign a controversial deal with them. The executive had pledged to initiate a procedure to ban Asia Bibi from leaving the country and not to block a petition for review of the acquittal judgment, which led to many criticisms. The radical party will gather its leadership on Thursday to "badyze the whole situation," said his spokesman Pir Ijaz Ashrafi to AFP. "I'll be clear: we suspended the demonstrations, we did not stop," he said.
Asylum application
Asia Bibi's husband claimed Saturday asylum for his family in the United States, Great Britain or Canada, arguing too great danger if they remained in Pakistan. "I ask President Donald Trump to help us leave. After that, I ask the British Prime Minister (Theresa May) to do her best to help us, "said Ashiq Masih in a video message. Asia Bibi's husband also sought the "help" of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
On Wednesday, another video of Ashiq Masih was put online by the Italian Catholic Association Aiuto alla chiesa che soffre (Aid to the Church that Suffers), in which he calls on the Italian government to help them get them out of the Pakistan, where living conditions are becoming very difficult. After this message, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Salvini tweeted that he would do "all that is humanly possible to guarantee a future for this woman". France "studies" for its part in what form it could help or welcome the Christian "with (its) European and international partners," said his Secretary of State for Equality between women and men, Marlene schiappa. Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said Monday "ready to welcome" with his family in the French capital.
READ ALSO – The call of intellectuals: "Freedom for Asia Bibi!"
The Asia Bibi affair strongly divides Pakistan, a very conservative Muslim country where blasphemy is an extremely sensitive subject. Charges are enough to provoke lynching. Asia Bibi, a 50-year-old Christian farm worker and mother, was sentenced to death in 2010 for blasphemy following an argument with Muslim women villagers over a glbad of water. His case had moved the international community, drawing the attention of popes Benedict XVI and Francis. One of his daughters met him twice.
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