Asia Bibi case: Thousands protest in Pakistan for second day over the acquittal of Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy

Thousands of people have protested judges' decisions to acquit Asia Bibi
EPA
Sophie Williams1 November 2018

Thousands of people in Pakistan have taken to the streets for a second day to protest the acquittal of a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy.

Asia Bibi spent eight years on death row for insulting the prophet Muhammad before her acquittal on Wednesday.

Radical lsamists mounted rallies against the verdict, blocking roads and burning tyres in protest as they demanded she be executed.

Groups of protesters have blocked at least 10 key roads in the country demanding the woman’s execution, according to reports.

Video footage showed huge crowds blocking a motorway linking Lahore and Islamabad. Several vehicles could be seen on fire.

Asia Bibi was on death row for over eight years, convicted of blasphemy
EPA

The protests have now entered their second day.

More than 1,000 Islamists blocked a key road linking the capital, Islamabad with the garrison city of Rawalpindi on Thursday, demanding Bibi be publicly hanged.

Authorities deployed paramilitary troops, signaling they could move in to clear the roads.

Hundreds also blocked another key motorway, linking Islamabad with major cities such as Lahore and Peshawar, chanting slogans against Bibi and demanding her execution.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for calm after the country’s islamist party called for the death of judges that overturned the death sentence.

On Wednesday, he accused religious hardliners of “inciting" people to protest for their own political gain.

He added: “Who suffers due to this? Our Pakistanis. The common people, the poor. You block the roads, you rob people’s livelihood.

“This is not the service of Islam, this is enmity with the country. Only anti-state elements talk like this, that kill the judges, start a revolt in the army….they are only trying to beef up their vote bank.”

Ms Bibi was convicted of blasphemy after a row with neighbours.

Supporters of a Pakistani religious group burn tyres while blocking a main road
AP

She went to get water for her and her fellow farm workers. Two Muslim women refused to drink from a container used by a Christian and a few days later she was accused of blasphemy.

Islamists had demanded her execution.

A protester gestures at a poster depicting Asia Bibi
EPA

Ms Bibi and her family are expected to leave the country.

Her brother James Masih said: "She has no other option and she will leave the country soon."

Authorities place shipping containers to try and stop protesters from entering the capital
AP

She has been offered asylum in Spain and France.

The judges and Ms Bibi's lawyer have been forced to go into hiding following the case.

Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab province, was shot and killed by one of his guards in 2011 for defending Ms Bibi and criticising the misuse of the blasphemy law.

The assassin, Mumtaz Qadri, has been celebrated as a martyr by hardliners since he was hanged for the killing, with millions visiting a shrine set up for him near Islamabad.

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