Aasia Bibi departs for Canada: sources

ISLAMABAD: Aasia Bibi, who was acquitted by the Supreme Court in a blasphemy case last year, has left Pakistan to fly to Canada, sources informed ARY News on Wednesday.  

The diplomatic sources confirmed the development saying that the Christian woman has departed to Toronto city of Canada.

After Aasia’s release, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that his government was holding talks with Pakistan over potentially offering asylum to Asia Bibi.

Previously in November last year, rumours were circulating that Asia Bibi had left Multan’s women jail and was being flown to an “unknown destination”.

This particular quote was attributed to Asia Bibi’s legal counsel Saiful Malook which subsequently gave rise to speculations that Asia Bibi had left the country.

However, later, the Foreign Office had denied all such reports.

In a historic judgement in October last year, the Supreme Court had set aside Aasia Bibi’s conviction in the blasphemy case registered against her in 2010.

This verdict came on an appeal filed by the woman challenging her capital punishment.

Asia Bibi, a mother of five, had been on death row since 2010, when Pope Benedict XVI joined in international calls for her release.

Ms Bibi was arrested after three women went to a local cleric in Sheikhupura, to report her and the trial court convicted and sentenced her to death.