Pakistan: Asia Bibi freed from jail a week after acquittal; to be flown to Netherlands, reports claim

Bibi was acquitted by Pakistan’s Supreme Court in an eight-year-old blasphemy case in which she was accused of insulting Islam in a row with her neighbours. After her acquittal it was feared that she might be at risk of being attacked by militants and hardliners.

Image: AFP/ Getty Images

New Delhi: Asia Bibi, the Christian woman of Pakistan who was on a death row for eight years, has finally been released from jail, a week after the Supreme Court acquitted her in a landmark verdict, triggering violent protests across the country. She was released from a jail in Multan and was taken to Noor Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi from where she will be flown to Netherlands, local media reported. "I have been told that she is on a plane but nobody knows where she will land," her lawyer Saif-ul-Malook said in a message sent to AFP. Bibi was acquitted by Pakistan’s Supreme Court in an eight-year-old blasphemy case in which she was accused of insulting Islam in a row with her neighbours.  After her acquittal it was feared that she might be at risk of being attacked by militants and hardliners. Following her acquittal, violent protests erupted in different parts of the country and death threats had been issued against her and her lawyer. Tehreek-i-Libaik Pakistan and other hardline groups are opposing the decision of sending Bibi out of the country as they had an agreement with the government of an assured initiation of a legal process to place the woman on the exit control list.  It was also agreed upon that the government would also not oppose a review petition filed against the Supreme Court's judgement in the Asia Bibi blasphemy case. The party had agreed to withdraw protests after the agreements. Asia’s husband Ashiq Masih had warned authorities that his wife’s life was in danger. He had also urged US President, UK and Canda premiers to help her leave Pakistan. (TLP) spokesperson Hafiz Shahbaz Attari, said in a statement: “The Imran Khan government has released Asia Bibi as the Netherlands Ambassador in Islamabad reached Multan jail along with government officials to ensure her release. She is being transported to the Netherlands." He said the party workers who are gathering in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been asked to stop the government from allowing Asia Bibi from leaving the country.