Post Reply 
 
Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Minister calls for reinvestigation of Christian woman’s case
11-20-2010, 01:11 PM
Post: #1
Minister calls for reinvestigation of Christian woman’s case
* Shahbaz says Aasia Bibi must be provided security in jail

LAHORE: Minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti on Thursday called for a thorough re-investigation and fair appeal for a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy after the pope called for her release.

On November 8, Aasia Bibi was sentenced to hang after being accused of blasphemy in 2009. She has filed an appeal in the Lahore High Court (LHC).

“We have requested the Punjab government that the trial should be fair in the LHC. She must also be provided security in jail,” Bhatti said. Aasia’s supporters say the case is baseless and that her first trial “was not heard properly,” Bhatti said.

“We have, therefore, asked the Punjab government that the case be reinvestigated properly,” he said, defending the Christian woman.

Pope Benedict XVI this week called for her release and said Christians in Pakistan were “often victims of violence and discrimination.” He said, “I feel close to Aasia Bibi and her family and I ask that she be released as soon as possible.”

Pakistan has yet to execute anyone for blasphemy, but the case spotlights a law which rights activists say encourages extremism in a country on the front line of the US-led war on terror.

Italy’s Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said he was told during a visit to Islamabad last week that Pakistan was committed to changing the blasphemy law and has promised to join the fight to save the convicted woman. Aasia’s lawyer said the appeal had been filed. Neither he nor her husband, Ashiq Masih, said there had been any contact from the government.

“The LHC will take up the case. It can order a fresh inquiry, a fresh trial or a fresh investigation,” lawyer SK Chaudhry said.

“We will move a bail application for Aasia next week and we hope the court will grant her bail,” Chaudhry said.

In June 2009, Aasia was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields. But Muslim women labourers objected, saying that as a non-Muslim, she should not touch the water bowl.

A few days later the women went to a local cleric and alleged that Aasia made derogatory remarks about revered Muslim personalities.

She was arrested in Ittanwalai village and prosecuted under Section 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code, which carries the death penalty. Rights activists and minority pressure groups said it was the first time that a woman had been sentenced to hang in Pakistan for blasphemy, although a Muslim couple were jailed for life last year.

Only around three percent of Pakistan’s population of 167 million is estimated to be non-Muslims.
Visit this user's website Find all posts by this user
Quote this message in a reply
Post Reply 


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread: Author Replies: Views: Last Post
  RDA Calls on Celebrities to Avoid Endorsing Illicit Projects LRE-Azan 0 225 11-01-2023 06:03 PM
Last Post: LRE-Azan
  Chief Minister federal minister for timely completion of NHA projects in Sindh LRE-Azan 0 643 01-26-2023 03:02 PM
Last Post: LRE-Azan
  EOBI Case Hearing To Commence Today Salman 0 7,501 08-22-2013 12:18 PM
Last Post: Salman
  House allotment case: Ex-minister, HEC employee issued contempt notices Salman 0 5,856 03-26-2013 07:04 PM
Last Post: Salman
  LDA for case against housing schemes Salman 0 4,276 01-04-2013 12:16 PM
Last Post: Salman
  D-13 case: poor coordination puts CDA chief in trouble Salman 0 3,976 12-21-2012 01:50 PM
Last Post: Salman
  ACE to probe land fraud case Salman 0 4,411 03-30-2012 12:42 PM
Last Post: Salman
  Land compensation case: IHC summons CDA’s director Salman 0 3,877 03-16-2012 02:54 PM
Last Post: Salman
  CDA chairman calls for early completion of ZPI Salman 0 3,922 01-13-2012 12:50 PM
Last Post: Salman
  LDA’s 2nd bid to bury deaths case Salman 0 3,273 01-02-2012 02:05 PM
Last Post: Salman
  SBP Governor calls for debt market development Salman 0 3,665 12-22-2011 04:47 PM
Last Post: Salman
  Reply sought in Walled City project case Lahore_Real_Estate 0 4,004 11-05-2011 04:50 PM
Last Post: Lahore_Real_Estate
  CDA official granted bail in land scam case Lahore_Real_Estate 0 4,550 10-29-2011 03:37 PM
Last Post: Lahore_Real_Estate
  Plaza demolition case: Show-cause notices to 26 LDA officials Lahore_Real_Estate 0 4,433 10-07-2011 12:35 PM
Last Post: Lahore_Real_Estate
  Jauhar Town plaza collapse Case against five LDA officials, 12 others Lahore_Real_Estate 0 3,508 09-26-2011 03:59 PM
Last Post: Lahore_Real_Estate
  Apple wins key German patent case against Samsung Lahore_Real_Estate 0 3,401 09-12-2011 12:22 PM
Last Post: Lahore_Real_Estate
  Punjab govt warned in plaza case Lahore_Real_Estate 0 3,129 06-01-2011 12:19 PM
Last Post: Lahore_Real_Estate
  Housing societies’ delegation calls on Shahbaz Lahore_Real_Estate 0 3,665 05-31-2011 11:21 AM
Last Post: Lahore_Real_Estate
  Land purchase case Lahore_Real_Estate 0 3,397 05-20-2011 12:02 PM
Last Post: Lahore_Real_Estate
  Hajj Scandal: DG FIA Destroyed Case to Save SomeOne VVIP LRE 6 16,309 04-14-2011 07:59 PM
Last Post: LRE

Forum Jump:


User(s) browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)