Fawad Chaudhry slams violent protests, says review petition the legal way

ISLAMABAD: In message apparently directed at protesters staging sit-ins across the country, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday said legal course should be adopted against the Supreme Court verdict in the case of Aasia Bibi, ARY News reported.

“Review petition (is), a legal right exercised by an individual, accepted by the court. Protests/ violence instead of a legal course was unacceptable,” he wrote in a tweet.

“No one can take law into hands and govt shall ensure writ of the state as expressed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan,” the information minister added.

Read More: Pakistan to move forward by following principles of Islam: PM Khan

About the protests across the country, the federal minister, while talking to media, said that the government wishes to deal peacefully with the protesters.

“The opposition has assured of their full cooperation. Entire Pakistan is united on this matter. We will move forward with a strategy on this crisis.

“Insha Allah, whatever the strategy is constituted, we will proceed in consultation with the opposition,” he said.

On the other hand, Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari, through a tweet, has informed the media that a protester has filed a review petition in the top court and he has demanded that Asia Bibi’s name be put on the Exit Control List.

She clarified that the government has nothing to do with both these moves. “The review petition and its prayers are between the SC and petitioner. PM’s position has been clear.”

PM Khan has also formed a committee comprising the state minister for interior, information minister and foreign minister to look into the matter and cogitate a strategy to defuse the ongoing political tension.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside the conviction of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman condemned to death for blasphemy. 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.