Conflicting reports over Aasia Bibi presence in Pakistan
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*ISLAMABAD - Conflicting reports have surfaced on the presence of Aasia Bibi in Pakistan with her lawyer saying she had left and the Foreign Office saying she was in Islamabad.*
Aasia Bibi was cleared of blasphemy charges by the Supreme Court last week and was released from Multan prison, her lawyer said on Wednesday night. However, by Thursday morning the Foreign Office was saying that she was “still in Pakistan”.
Additionally, Antonio Tajani, the president of the European Parliament, tweeted past midnight that Aasia Bibi had left prison and had been transferred to a safe place. He thanked the Pakistani authorities while saying that he was “looking forward to meeting her and her family, in the European Parliament as soon as possible”.
The Foreign Office has said that Aasia Bibi is at a secure location in Pakistan. It is unfortunate, that the media is publishing such stories without confirmation, said the office’s spokesperson. He clarified that she is not at any embassy.
The MMA called for a million man march and participants have begun gathering on Karachi’s Sharae Quaideen at Noorani Kabab House.
The gathering is expected to be addressed after Asr prayers (around 4pm). Sharae Quaideen has been blocked for traffic from the Society signal to the Noorani signal.
On October 31, Pakistan’s top court had overturned her death sentence and ordered her immediate release.
“I have been told that she is on a plane but nobody knows where she will land,” lawyer Saif-ul-Malook said in a message sent to AFP.
Some religious groups took to the streets soon after the top court announced its verdict. Main roads were blocked and property damaged due to the protests. The sit-ins across the country ended on November 2 after the government agreed to initiate legal proceedings to place Aasia Bibi’s name on the ECL.
