Dear reader, online ads enable us to deliver the journalism you value. Please support us by taking a moment to
Aasia Bibi's appeal against death sentence to be heard by SC special bench on Monday
A three-member special bench of the Supreme Court will on Monday hear the final appeal against the execution of Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy.
According to a supplementary cause list issued by the apex court on Friday, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar will hear Bibi's 2014 appeal (Asia Bibi v. The State, etc) on October 8. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel will be the other members of the bench.
The court has issued a notice to the additional prosecutor general of Punjab to be present for the hearing. Also in attendance will be lawyers Syed Fayyaz Ahmed Sherazi, Saif-ul-Malook Chaudhry, and others.
The top court had last taken up the appeal in October 2016, but had to adjourn the matter without hearing after one of the judges recused himself from the SC bench.
In 2011, former Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who spoke out in support of Bibi, was gunned down in broad daylight in Islamabad. His assassin Mumtaz Qadri was executed in 2016 after the court found him guilty of murder.
The allegations against Bibi date back to June 2009, when she was labouring in a field and a row broke out with some Muslim women she was working with.
Aasia Bibi, accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) during an argument with a Muslim woman over a bowl of water, was convicted and sentenced to death in 2010 despite her advocates maintaining her innocence and insisting the accusers held grudges against her.
She was asked to fetch water, but the Muslim women objected, saying that as a non-Muslim she was unfit to touch the water bowl.
The women went to a local cleric and accused Bibi of blasphemy against the Prophet, a charge punishable by death under legislation that rights groups say is routinely abused to settle personal vendettas.
Bibi's supporters maintain her innocence and insist it was a personal dispute, and the Vatican has called for her release.
But successive appeals have been rejected, and if the SC bench eventually upholds Bibi's conviction, her only recourse will be a direct appeal to the president for clemency.
If that fails, she could become the first person in Pakistan to be executed for blasphemy.
Comments (40) Closed
She has already been in the prison for over 9 years. I feel ashamed , sad , angry when I read her case.
I sincerely hope that common sense prevails. This innocent woman has suffered enough.
The nation is silent.
She must be released, spent long jail term.
Aisa Bibi, she wrongly accused. There should have been more thorough investigation.
She has young kids, please let her go.
She is a victim of petty personal vendetta stemming from cruel, discriminatory laws that have no place in the moder, civilized world. She deserves justice and that means honorable eviction and arrest & prosecution of those who fabricated false charges against her to suffer 7 years of loss of her freedom & possible loss of life. The mechanism of justice should come into full force & application so as all others are effectively warned against this kind of bogus but cruel behavior.
This is exactly why Pakistan needs secularism... Free the innocent woman !! Minority rights are in shambles...
If she is excuted, it will be a black mark on pakistan.
I thought such things happened only in S.Arabia.One should learn to forgive and forget in this civilised world.
She is innocent.
I say thank you to all those Pakistanis asking for her release. There is a hope in the subcontinent. Insaaniyat is going to prevail.
Thank you. Thank you.
If the SC finds her innocent, shouldn’t the accusers and the local cleric be punished for framing an innocent person.
Reading comments below shows how public views such a critical issues...happy to say pakistan travels in right direction. wish you all the very best..love from india
The overwhelming majority of comments are positive and that inspires hope for Pakistan. Sadly, comments in Bangladeshi papers tend to be of opposite nature.
So unfortunate. Humanity should rise up to save her.
Read The court file before commenting on it. The case was thoroughly argued in earlier all courts.
Consider whether her alleged crime is worth 9 years in jail let alone death. There are others who loot the nation and do far worse who get away scot free.
It is commendable that a large number of people commenting below talk about forgiveness and relief. Large part of the case is based on hearsay and this lengthy jail term is already disproportionate. It would be humane to give life another chance and move on.
I hope Asia Bibi gets justice.
I have full faith in Pakistan Judicial system. I hope and pray that Asia Bibi gets the righteous justice she deserves. She has suffered immensely for her faith and it is time she should be allowed to go home and take care of her children who are growing up without their mother. It is only fair to ask justice with mercy and compassion.
@RUMI Fully agree and share your sentiments. She already suffered so much.
Let her go . There is no solid proof against her.
It's too much.
In which era we are living?
Compensate her and let her go.
May justice be served, that's all I pray for.. No matter which ever side benefits.
If that fails, she could become the first person in Pakistan to be executed for blasphemy.‘
That will not happen. She should be released. ‘
Horrific. She suffered a lot. Release her immediately.
@Iftikhar Husain the world is silent
@Shahzad One that is not going to go away.
@RUMI Sad indeed. In several hundreds of cases in various US states many, usually black men, convicted by prosecution misconduct have been on deathrow for ‘long’ periods. A few have been acquited and releasec aftet 10-20-30-40 years in prison. Asia bibi is probably safer in prison!!
Her co-workers bullied her and treated her as subhuman just because she’s a Christian. She stood up to these bullies, and now her life is worthless and awaiting execution (murder). I’m a Christian, so I’m supposed to forgive, and will, but why should I not be bitter, or ever visit Pakistan?
@Jay Dutt Fully agree with you and appreciate your comments. We all must pray for her release.
@RUMI , happy that u are
The least that can be done is to bring in the accuser & the cleric for 9 years in the same jail besides compensating her by fining them
@Jay Dutt Nice, but at the same spirit, we must raise our voices against moblinching in India.
She and her family have already suffered so much. It is time to sentence the false accusers and the clerics behind them.
True Justice and merci required
This will be a disgrace to Pakistan and her people if the government follows through with the execution.
Please release this women, the sentence is outrageous!