LAHORE: It is not the legality of arrest or release of Aasia Bibi that is bothering the nation, but the fact that she has been released under a deal with the West, says Maulana Fazlur Rehman, president of the Mutahidda Majlis-i-Amal (MMA).

Addressing the “million march,” which was very thinly attended when compared to the ‘figure’ mentioned in its title, he said the way the West had been celebrating the release of Aasia Bibi “showed the reality of the issue”.

“If Aasia Bibi’s release is only a legal decision, why is there flood of personal praises directed at the CJP and Imran Khan? It only proves that the decision was taken under a deal, which is now being praised in the West. What kind of legal decision is this which is being celebrated by the West and has caused anxiety in the Ummah?,”the Maulana thundered.

The call for the march was given by the All (religious) Parties Tahafuz-i-Namoos-i-Risalat.

The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F head alleged that an EU delegation that visited Pakistan in run-up to the decision, offered the country membership of international financial clubs and linked the offer to the Aasia Bibi’s release.

“Misquoting the Islamic history of Misaq-i-Madina, the PTI parliamentarians are trying to justify the diplomatic recognition of Isreal as well,” Maulana told the small but emotionally charged gathering on The Mall.

“I have been arguing since long that Imran Khan is a Jew representative and has been anointed by the West to play its proxy. Now he has been brought to power only to play games of his masters and hurt the Ummah. The government is guilty of conspiring to alter the blasphemy law, setting blasphemers free and playing to Western tunes,”. he said, adding that the movement would continue till the PTI mended its ways.

He announced that the next protest on the issue would be held on Nov 25 at Sukkur.

Earlier, Prof Sajjad Mir, addressing the rally, said there might be sectarian differences among different parties but they all were one on the issue of blasphemy. He too alleged “This all was being done to please the West”.

Hafiz Idrees, the acting emir of Jamaat-i-Islami, declared that the blasphemers could not be pardoned, come what may.

Shah Awais Noorani was of the view that the parliamentary system was being rigged to replace it with presidential form of government. He warned the religo-political forces wont allow it.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2018