Death row Christian woman has left Pakistan: Lawyer

ISLAMABAD (Daily Mail) May 8-Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman acquitted of blasphemy after spending eight years on death row in Pakistan, has left the country for Canada to be reunited with her daughters, Pakistan’s media said.  

Wilson Chawdhry of the British Pakistani Christian Association told the Associated Press on Wednesday that he had received a text message from a British diplomat stating simply: “Aasia is out.”   A close friend of Ms Bibi confirmed that she had left the country, speaking on condition of anonymity.  

Bibi was convicted of blasphemy in 2009 after a dispute with a fellow farm worker.   She spent eight years on death row until the Supreme Court last year overturned her conviction. She has since been in protective custody.  

Islamic extremists have rioted over the case and threatened to kill her, and also urged the overthrow of the government after Ms Bibi’s acquittal.   Prime minister Imran Khan vowed not to be intimidated by the rioters, saying the rule of law would decide Ms Bibi’s fate.