Foreign Office denies reports of Asia Bibi flying abraod

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal on Thursday denied reports that Asia Bibi had left Pakistan and clarified, “there is no truth is reports of her leaving the country — its fake news.”

The Foreign Office informed that the recently acquitted Christian woman was still Pakistan.

The official elucidation came from the Foreign Office following the fake media reports that has been circulating from yesterday, stating that Asia Bibi has 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.

According to sources, the women’s jail in Multan, where Asia was being kept, received her release orders after which she was freed a day earlier and was flown to the federa; capital.

Last month, the Supreme Court set aside her 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.

In 2015 her daughter met with Pope Francis, who as the head of the Catholic Church offered prayers for her mother.

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.

She appealed to the Lahore High Court, which upheld the decision in October 2014, with the case ending up at the Supreme Court.