PUKHTUNKHWA TIMES: 10/31/18

The Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned the conviction of Aasia Bibi, a Christian mother facing execution for blasphemy, in a landmark case which has incited deadly violence and reached as far as the Vatican.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Justice Saqib Nisar announced the landmark verdict. “The appeal is allowed. She has been acquitted. The judgement of high court as well as trial court is reversed. Her conviction is set aside,” said Justice Nisar.

Bibi appeared to be in state of disbelief after hearing the decision from her lawyer. “I can’t believe what I am hearing, will i go out now? Will they let me out, really?” Bibi told AFP by phone from prison after the ruling.

In 2011, former Punjab governor Shaheed Salman Taseer, who spoke out in support of Bibi, was gunned down in broad daylight in Islamabad. His assassin Mumtaz Qadri was executed earlier in 2016 after the court found him guilty of murder.

As soon as the SC announced its landmark verdict, social media users paid tributes to Mr Taseer for his bravery and for raising his voice in times when not many dared to. Users also paid tributes to Shahbaz Bhatti, the previous federal minister for minorities’ affairs, who bravely spoke out in favour of Aasia Bibi and was also assassinated.

Daily Times Editor Raza Ahmed Rumi said ‘one can not stop thinking of Salman Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti – precious lives lost while standing up for the weak’.

‘Never tell me the odds’

Lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir said reforms to prevent abuse of religious laws to target innocent people – that were advocated by Mr Taseer – were need of the hour.