The Supreme Court on Wednesday acquitted a Pakistani Christian woman Aasia Bibi – who had been on death row following court conviction in case of blasphemy allegations against her.
The Supreme Court overturned the conviction citing lack of evidence and delivered Aasia Bibi, who has five children, immediate freedom.
The apex court’s verdict – coming from the bench headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar – makes a bold statement that nobody should misuse the blasphemy law.
Many far-right Islamic activists used the case to whip up sentiments against Bibi. Former Governor Punjab Salman Taseer was killed by his own security guard after he called for release of Aasia Bibi, who for years had been implicated on uncorroborated allegations that she insulted Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him.
Taseer’s killer was executed after court sentencing.
But Aasia Bibi’s acquittal and freedom comes as a relief for Pakistan’s Christian community, which fears misuse of the blasphemy law after a spate of incidents of violence.
Aasia Bibi had been languishing in prison cells as the case ran for years since 2009 when a couple of women – who had a brawl with Bibi – accused her of making defamatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
In 2010, a trial court convicted her of blasphemy under section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code – a sentence that ordains mandatory death penalty. In 2014, the Lahore High Court (LHC) upheld her conviction.
The case went to the Supreme Court n July 2015 with an appeal in favor of Aasia Bibi.
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