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Published 20 Nov, 2010 10:17pm

Asia`s daughters hopeful of reunion

ISLAMABAD, Nov 20: Blasphemy convict Asia Bibi's daughters - Sidra and Ashi - have put their trust in God that they will be united with their mother.

“She has done nothing wrong. The allegations are baseless,” said Sidra in a melancholic tone sitting in the office of Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti here Saturday.

An additional district and sessions judge at Nankana Saheb recently handed Asia death penalty and Rs100,000 fine under the controversial blasphemy law - that many believe has been used as a tool for suppression.

Charges against Asia had been brought as a result of statements which she allegedly made during a water dispute with local women in a fruit farm in her hometown at Nankana in November 2009.

“The women instigated the imam (clergy) of the local mosque who then made a mountain out of a mole hill,” said Asia's husband Ashiq Masih, who was forced into hiding with his five children, the youngest less than 10-year-old, because the clergy and people of the town threatened to kill his children and set them on fire if they returned.

“They dragged my mother out of the house. We tried to free her from an angry mob. They ripped her clothes. My younger sister ran to save her too. But a mob member slammed her into the wall,” said Sidra while explaining how her mother kept shouting that she had committed no wrong.

According to Ashiq Masih, his wife was then judged before a local landlord who forced her to confess the guilt but she denied the allegation.

Failing to extort a confession, the charged mob threatened the police to register an FIR under 295-C for 'abusive and insulting utterances against their religion', said Ashiq Masih.

The children met their mother on Tuesday from behind a steel cage at the Sheikhupura jail where she has been imprisoned for the last one and a half year.

“She tried to touch us with her finger tips. She was so weak we could barely hear her,” said Ashi.

The minister for minorities expressed his confidence that the dispute was personal and nothing more.

“The allegations are baseless and victimization of a weaker people. The blasphemy law has been misused on several occasions because it is vague and the government should repeal it to stop its abuse,” he said, vowing to protect the woman's life, return her to her family and provide justice to the family.

“The President has taken notice and he is the legal authority to pardon,” the minister said.

Back home, according to Ashiq Masih, the local clergy has again announced through his mosque loudspeaker to decapitate Asia if the court pardoned her and if she returned home.

Ashiq Masih's family was one of the two Christian households in Itanwala, Nankana district, living among 7,000 to 8,000 Muslim families.

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