SC upholds Aasia Bibi acquittal

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a review petition against Aasia Bibi’s acquittal, reported ARY News.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and comprising Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel rejected the appeal after hearing arguments from the appellant’s lawyer.

“The appellant failed to prove flaws in the announced judgment,” ruled the chief justice. “There were clear contradictions in evidences and depositions.”

Justice Khosa also noted that the witnesses were oblivious to the real facts of the incident and made misstatements in court.

The top judge warned that the witnesses could be sentenced to life imprisonment for misstating facts under oath.

During the hearing, appellant Qari Islam’s lawyer requested the bench to constitute a larger bench to hear the appeal.“This is a matter of Muslim Ummah.”

Advocate Ghulam Mustafa further pleaded that a religious scholar be also summoned to provide assistance in the matter.

In response, the CJP said, “The court gave the verdict purely on the basis of evidences.”

He also asked the counsel to correct the court if it wrongly reviewed the depositions in the case. “If the lawyer made out a case for a larger bench, it would surely be constituted.”

Case history

Last year, on Oct 31, a SC bench headed by former chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar set aside the conviction of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman condemned to death for blasphemy. The 56-page verdict overturned the Lahore High Court (LHC) verdict and directed authorities to release her from prison.

Following her acquittal, protests had erupted across the country which continued for three days before being brought to an end with an agreement between the government and demonstrators.

Asia Bibi, a mother of five, had been on death row since 2010 after she was convicted on charges of committing blasphemy during an argument with three Muslim women in Sheikhupura.

Her case drew the attention of international rights groups and swiftly became the most high-profile in the country.