Pakistan grants extra protection for Christian woman sentenced to death for Islamic blasphemy

Asia Bibi

Pakistan, October 13, 2011: Pakistan’s Federal Ministry for inter-religious harmony – appointed as a delegate for religious minorities – has “intensified all the controls of the case and ordered an internal investigation” to protect the life and conditions of Asia Bibi in jail in Sheikupura (in Punjab) this is what the Catholic AkramGill, Minister for interreligious harmony says in an interview with Fides, following press reports that tell of ill-treatment towards Asia Bibi, a Christian woman unjustly sentenced to death for blasphemy.

According to Asia Bibi’s husband, Ashiq Masih, over the past 15 days, a female prison guard named Khateeja has mistreated Bibi. The guard demanded to be present when Bibi used her personal toilet, which is located in the confinement cell. When Asia complained, the guard began to threaten and mistreat her. Asia made a complaint to the prison authorities who have suspended the guard for three months.

Akram Gill of the ministry for inter-religious harmony remarked, “As members of the executive, to help Asia Bibi, we will contact the prison authorities to ensure that the woman is assured maximum protection and humane conditions. As for the rest, her case is now in the hands of the judiciary system: we are waiting for the appeal trial and we cannot interfere with the judiciary”.

Asia Bibi’s lawyer, S. K Chaudhry will go to visit her in prison on October 15.   Harron Barkat Masih, Director of the “MasihiFoundation” said “The Christians in Pakistan and around the world, follow Asia’s situation with attention and affection and continue to pray for her. We follow her story with anxiety and hope, because she is an innocent woman, unjustly locked up in prison. We ask the government to assure maximum protection, health and wellness, in her life within the walls of the prison which we hope will end soon. We have faith in the supreme justice that can restore her coveted freedom”.

– fides