Blasphemy case: Top Court to hear review petition against Asia Bibi’s acquittal

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan will hear the review petition on January 29, filed against the apex court’s verdict acquitting Asia Bibi in a blasphemy case, on Thursday.

According to report, Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa will head a three-member bench and the other members of the bench included Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel. The bench will decide whether or not to allow the appeal on January 29.

The review petition is filed by Qari Muhammad Salaam in the Supreme Court Lahore registry through his counsel Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry urging the SC to reconsider its decision.

Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry, the lawyer who filed the petition seeking an appeal said that on January 29, “the court will determine if our appeal against her acquittal is admitted”, adding that “Usually the court decides on the same day if the appeal is admitted or not”.

The petitioner Muhammad Salaam had requested to put her name on the Exit Control List (ECL) till the final review of the judgment, arguing that Asia Bibi confessed to her crimes during the investigation, and that a delay in lodging the First Information Request (FIR) does not imply that the defendant is not guilty.

Last year on October 31, Supreme Court acquitted Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who was facing a death sentence for blasphemy and ordered to release her from prison immediately.

The then-chief justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar had said in the ruling that “The appeal is allowed. She has been acquitted. The judgment of the high court, as well as trial court, is reversed. Her conviction is set aside.”

Justice (r) Nisar acquitted Asia Bibi and announced that “Asia is to be set free if she is not wanted in any other case.”

Following the acquittal verdict, countrywide protests had erupted mainly by Tehreek e Labaik Pakistan. Enraged masses had also set fire to vehicles and blocked several main routes, including motorways, for two days. The protests resulted in the closure of schools, colleges and universities.

The law enforcement agencies had arrested around 1,800 individuals including the TLP chief Khadim Rizvi. The Ministry of Interior had said that the arrestees had been booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).