A Hindu man&nbsp;in Hyderabad, Pakistan was purportedly booked&nbsp;in a false blasphemy case on Sunday (August 21), over a clash with a local resident, according to multiple media reports. The man, identified as Ashok Kumar, a sweeper, was violently assaulted by a hostile mob. After a fight with shopkeeper Bilal Abbasi, he filed a complaint against Kumar.

The frenzied mob, calling for the Hindu workers’ surrender for desecrating the Quran, was dispersed by the Hyderabad police, ANI reported.

According to a local media report, a Muslim woman was actually the one who burnt the Islamist book.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/former-pakistan-pm-imran-khan-booked-under-anti-terrorism-charges-508941">Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan booked under anti-terrorism charges</a>

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Hyderabad police dispersed a violent mob which was demanding handing over a Hindu sanitary worker accusing him of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/blasphemy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#blasphemy</a> Police claims the sanitary worker was targeted because of a personal clash with a local resident <a href="https://t.co/CnSFLNLqhH">pic.twitter.com/CnSFLNLqhH</a>
— Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist) <a href="https://twitter.com/Xadeejournalist/status/1561387615890591749?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In Pakistan, there’s a widespread practise of using the harsh blasphemy law against minorities and even members of the Muslim community to avenge personal grievances. Several people have been killed by lynching for the blasphemy charge alone. Numerous other people spend years in prison without receiving justice because their lawyers, in fear, refuse to represent them.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/crime-against-women-in-pakistan-horrific-violence-against-257-women-in-sindh-508927">Crime against women in Pakistan: Horrific violence against 257 women in Sindh</a>

However, without considering the facts, judges in subordinate courts frequently sentence the accused to death.

According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies, Pakistan has documented 1,415 blasphemy cases since its independence. The think tank believes that the true number of instances is much higher than the one recorded.

As per reports, the problem of unverified and speculative claims of ‘blasphemy’ has increased in lynchings and extrajudicial executions in the South Asian country.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A Hindu man in Hyderabad, Pakistan was purportedly booked in a false blasphemy case on Sunday (August 21), over a clash with a local resident, according to multiple media reports.

A Hindu man in Hyderabad, Pakistan was purportedly booked in a false blasphemy case on Sunday (August 21), over a clash with a local resident, according to multiple media reports. The man, identified as Ashok Kumar, a sweeper, was violently assaulted by a hostile mob. After a fight with shopkeeper Bilal Abbasi, he filed a complaint against Kumar. The frenzied mob, calling for the Hindu workers’ surrender for desecrating the Quran, was dispersed by the Hyderabad police, ANI reported. According to a local media report, a Muslim woman was actually the one who burnt the Islamist book. Also read | Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan booked under anti-terrorism charges Hyderabad police dispersed a violent mob which was demanding handing over a Hindu sanitary worker accusing him of #blasphemy Police claims the sanitary worker was targeted because of a personal clash with a local resident pic.twitter.com/CnSFLNLqhH — Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist) August 21, 2022 × In Pakistan, there’s a widespread practise of using the harsh blasphemy law against minorities and even members of the Muslim community to avenge personal grievances. Several people have been killed by lynching for the blasphemy charge alone. Numerous other people spend years in prison without receiving justice because their lawyers, in fear, refuse to represent them. Also read | Crime against women in Pakistan: Horrific violence against 257 women in Sindh However, without considering the facts, judges in subordinate courts frequently sentence the accused to death. According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies, Pakistan has documented 1,415 blasphemy cases since its independence. The think tank believes that the true number of instances is much higher than the one recorded. As per reports, the problem of unverified and speculative claims of ‘blasphemy’ has increased in lynchings and extrajudicial executions in the South Asian country. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Pakistan: Mob charges at Hindu man's house over fake blasphemy case

There have been daily attacks against the properties of minorities and their religious sites in Pakistan due to blasphemy charges that are fake or erroneous.

In a recent study on the blasphemy issue in Pakistan, a local think tank, the Centre for Research and Security Studies, disclosed that 89 people were extra-judicially killed over blasphemy allegations in the country between 1947 and 2021.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-lawmakers-seek-sanctions-against-pakistan-bill-sent-to-us-foreign-affairs-committee-461213" hreflang="en">US lawmakers seek sanctions against Pakistan; bill sent to US Foreign Affairs Committee</a>

The report also found that 1,287 citizens were accused of blasphemy between 2011 and 2021, which is when TLP was most active and expanded its support base across the country.

Pakistan has the second-strictest blasphemy laws in the world after Iran, according to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom Report (2016). But the most worrying fact is that, in most blasphemy cases, the perpetrator is either eulogised as the "saviour" of Islam, in case they receive a judicial sentence, or released under the pressure of religious extremists.

Mob justice is not a new phenomenon in Pakistan.&nbsp;

Some of the cases that gained prominence include that of a mentally challenged man being stoned to death by an angry mob on February 12 for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/faced-with-no-trust-vote-desperate-imran-khan-rushes-to-powerful-godman-for-support-460846" hreflang="en">Faced with no-trust vote, desperate Imran Khan rushes to powerful godman for support, but is denied meeting</a>

A mob vandalised and set ablaze a police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Charsadda district in November 2021 after the local authorities refused to hand over a man arrested for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran.

The lynching of Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan factory manager, in Punjab's Sialkot city in December is still fresh in the memory.

In Pakistan, extrajudicial vigilantism isn't the only reason for killings over blasphemy accusations. The reasons for their actions range from religious to political to personal and petty disputes, as well as international connections.

Extremists support the most severe implementation of draconian blasphemy laws in order to subjugate lower-class citizens, Ahmadiyyas and Shias, as well as Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs.

Watch |&nbsp;Pakistan: 19 including opposition JUI-F members arrested

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistan-19-including-opposition-jui-f-members-arrested-461125/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

These laws are a legacy of the Islamic military dictator General Ziaul Haq, who used them to appease hard-line Islamist forces in Pakistan.

Under Imran Khan, however, the menace of blasphemy killings has reached a new height with the government giving space to Islamist groups such as Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a Sunni Barelvi outfit.

As a result of the Taliban's victory in Afghanistan, hard-line Islamist forces in Pakistan have gained strength. All of these factors point to more blasphemy killings in the future.

There have been daily attacks against the properties of minorities and their religious sites in Pakistan due to blasphemy charges that are fake or erroneous. In a recent study on the blasphemy issue in Pakistan, a local think tank, the Centre for Research and Security Studies, disclosed that 89 people were extra-judicially killed over blasphemy allegations in the country between 1947 and 2021.

There have been daily attacks against the properties of minorities and their religious sites in Pakistan due to blasphemy charges that are fake or erroneous. In a recent study on the blasphemy issue in Pakistan, a local think tank, the Centre for Research and Security Studies, disclosed that 89 people were extra-judicially killed over blasphemy allegations in the country between 1947 and 2021. Also read | US lawmakers seek sanctions against Pakistan; bill sent to US Foreign Affairs Committee The report also found that 1,287 citizens were accused of blasphemy between 2011 and 2021, which is when TLP was most active and expanded its support base across the country. Pakistan has the second-strictest blasphemy laws in the world after Iran, according to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom Report (2016). But the most worrying fact is that, in most blasphemy cases, the perpetrator is either eulogised as the "saviour" of Islam, in case they receive a judicial sentence, or released under the pressure of religious extremists. Mob justice is not a new phenomenon in Pakistan. Some of the cases that gained prominence include that of a mentally challenged man being stoned to death by an angry mob on February 12 for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran. Also read | Faced with no-trust vote, desperate Imran Khan rushes to powerful godman for support, but is denied meeting A mob vandalised and set ablaze a police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Charsadda district in November 2021 after the local authorities refused to hand over a man arrested for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran. The lynching of Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan factory manager, in Punjab's Sialkot city in December is still fresh in the memory. In Pakistan, extrajudicial vigilantism isn't the only reason for killings over blasphemy accusations. The reasons for their actions range from religious to political to personal and petty disputes, as well as international connections. Extremists support the most severe implementation of draconian blasphemy laws in order to subjugate lower-class citizens, Ahmadiyyas and Shias, as well as Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs. Watch | Pakistan: 19 including opposition JUI-F members arrested These laws are a legacy of the Islamic military dictator General Ziaul Haq, who used them to appease hard-line Islamist forces in Pakistan. Under Imran Khan, however, the menace of blasphemy killings has reached a new height with the government giving space to Islamist groups such as Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a Sunni Barelvi outfit. As a result of the Taliban's victory in Afghanistan, hard-line Islamist forces in Pakistan have gained strength. All of these factors point to more blasphemy killings in the future.

Blasphemy accusations, mob lynchings against religious minorities on a rise in Imran Khan's Pakistan

Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian woman who spent years on death row after a 2010 conviction of blasphemy, said Monday that she was seeking political asylum from the French government.

"My great desire is to live in France," Bibi said in an interview with RTL radio, her first trip to France since fleeing with her family to Canada in 2018.

Her visit comes a few weeks after the publication of her book "Enfin Libre!" (Finally Free) in French last month, with an English version due in September.

"France is the country from where I received my new life... Anne-Isabelle is an angel for me," she said, referring to the French journalist Anne-Isabelle Tollet, who waged a long campaign for her release and later co-wrote Bibi's book.

On Tuesday, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is to bestow an honorary citizenship certificate granted to Bibi by the city in 2014, when she was still behind bars.

She said she did not have any meeting scheduled with President Emmanuel Macron, but "obviously I would like the president to hear my request." In her book, Bibi recounts the nightmare conditions she was subjected to in prison until her release in 2018, amid an international outcry over her treatment.

The acquittal sparked fierce rioting in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where Christians are often the target of persecution.

She later fled with her family to Canada, where she has been living in an undisclosed location under police protection.

"Obviously I am enormously grateful to Canada," Bibi said, adding that she now wanted to work "hand in hand" with Tollet to urge Pakistan authorities to free others imprisoned over the country's anti-blasphemy laws.

The allegations against Bibi date back to 2009, when Muslim field labourers who were working alongside her refused to share water because she was Christian. An argument broke out and a Muslim woman later went to a local cleric and accused Bibi of committing blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed.

But despite her dramatic acquittal by Pakistan's chief justice, activists warned that freedom for Bibi would likely mean a life under threat by hardliners who have long called for her death.

Last May, she was spirited away to Canada, where Tollet was the only reporter to have met with Bibi since her arrival.

In her book, Bibi tells of the humiliating and horrendous conditions in prison, and the daily torments suffered by the country's Christian minority. She also recounts the difficulty of adjusting to her new life, and the pain of having to leave without seeing her father or other members of her family. "Pakistan is my country. I love my country but I am in exile forever," she wrote.

Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian woman who spent years on death row after a 2010 conviction of blasphemy, said Monday that she was seeking political asylum from the French government.

Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian woman who spent years on death row after a 2010 conviction of blasphemy, said Monday that she was seeking political asylum from the French government. "My great desire is to live in France," Bibi said in an interview with RTL radio, her first trip to France since fleeing with her family to Canada in 2018. Her visit comes a few weeks after the publication of her book "Enfin Libre!" (Finally Free) in French last month, with an English version due in September. "France is the country from where I received my new life... Anne-Isabelle is an angel for me," she said, referring to the French journalist Anne-Isabelle Tollet, who waged a long campaign for her release and later co-wrote Bibi's book. On Tuesday, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is to bestow an honorary citizenship certificate granted to Bibi by the city in 2014, when she was still behind bars. She said she did not have any meeting scheduled with President Emmanuel Macron, but "obviously I would like the president to hear my request." In her book, Bibi recounts the nightmare conditions she was subjected to in prison until her release in 2018, amid an international outcry over her treatment. The acquittal sparked fierce rioting in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where Christians are often the target of persecution. She later fled with her family to Canada, where she has been living in an undisclosed location under police protection. "Obviously I am enormously grateful to Canada," Bibi said, adding that she now wanted to work "hand in hand" with Tollet to urge Pakistan authorities to free others imprisoned over the country's anti-blasphemy laws. The allegations against Bibi date back to 2009, when Muslim field labourers who were working alongside her refused to share water because she was Christian. An argument broke out and a Muslim woman later went to a local cleric and accused Bibi of committing blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed. But despite her dramatic acquittal by Pakistan's chief justice, activists warned that freedom for Bibi would likely mean a life under threat by hardliners who have long called for her death. Last May, she was spirited away to Canada, where Tollet was the only reporter to have met with Bibi since her arrival. In her book, Bibi tells of the humiliating and horrendous conditions in prison, and the daily torments suffered by the country's Christian minority. She also recounts the difficulty of adjusting to her new life, and the pain of having to leave without seeing her father or other members of her family. "Pakistan is my country. I love my country but I am in exile forever," she wrote.

Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi asks France for asylum

Several temples and houses of members of Hindu community have been attacked in Ghotki town of Pakistan’s Sindh. The violence in the region followed an alleged blasphemous remark by a school principal, who is a Hindu, in Ghotki. Watch this video to know more.

Hindu temples, houses attacked in Pakistan after alleged blasphemy by a school principal

Hundreds of protesters ran amok in Pakistan's Sindh province after the principal of a school, belonging to the minority Hindu community, was falsely accused of blasphemy and booked in the matter. Watch this video to know more.

Pakistan: Hindu principal booked in false blasphemy case; mob vandalise school

Mobs set ablaze shops belonging to the Hindus after a veterinary doctor from the minority community allegedly tore pages of a holy book and wrapped medicines in them in Pakistan's Sindh province, according to a media report.

The Hindu veterinary doctor, identified as Ramesh Kumar, was arrested on Monday under the country's strict blasphemy laws after a local cleric filed a police complaint accusing him of committing blasphemy.

Under Pakistan's blasphemy laws, anyone accused of insulting Islam can be sentenced to death.

The doctor was taken into custody while angry protestors set fire to shops owned by Hindus and burnt tyres on road in Phuladyon town in Mirpurkhas district in the province, The Express Tribune reported.

Protesters set ablaze a doctor's clinic, a medical store, and two shops belonging to the members of the Hindu community. They also blocked roads by burning tyres, the report said.

There were reports that the protesters also looted some shops.

With the situation spiralling out of control, local authorities called in the paramilitary Rangers to deal with the mob violence.

Police also registered a case against those engaged in rioting.

"It's an unfortunate incident. We have taken the doctor into custody and are investigating incident," Senior Superintendent of Police Mirpurkhas Javed Baloch said.

He said a case has been registered and police have established a picket in the town to deal with any untoward incident.

"The situation is now normal," he said, adding that the police would take action against those who have ransacked properties of the Hindu community. 
"We have detained some suspects on charges of damaging properties,"&nbsp;he added.

The Mirpurkhas deputy commissioner said the government would compensate those whose properties were damaged during the violence.

A large number of Hindus reside in the interior of Sindh province and in Karachi and the Pakistan Hindu Council has complained in the past of minority community members being targeted under the blasphemy law by people because of personal enmity.

Hindus form the biggest minority community in Muslim-majority Pakistan.

According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country.

Mobs set ablaze shops belonging to the Hindus after a veterinary doctor from the minority community allegedly tore pages of a holy book and wrapped medicines in them in Pakistan's Sindh province, according to a media report.

Mobs set ablaze shops belonging to the Hindus after a veterinary doctor from the minority community allegedly tore pages of a holy book and wrapped medicines in them in Pakistan's Sindh province, according to a media report. The Hindu veterinary doctor, identified as Ramesh Kumar, was arrested on Monday under the country's strict blasphemy laws after a local cleric filed a police complaint accusing him of committing blasphemy. Under Pakistan's blasphemy laws, anyone accused of insulting Islam can be sentenced to death. The doctor was taken into custody while angry protestors set fire to shops owned by Hindus and burnt tyres on road in Phuladyon town in Mirpurkhas district in the province, The Express Tribune reported. Protesters set ablaze a doctor's clinic, a medical store, and two shops belonging to the members of the Hindu community. They also blocked roads by burning tyres, the report said. There were reports that the protesters also looted some shops. With the situation spiralling out of control, local authorities called in the paramilitary Rangers to deal with the mob violence. Police also registered a case against those engaged in rioting. "It's an unfortunate incident. We have taken the doctor into custody and are investigating incident," Senior Superintendent of Police Mirpurkhas Javed Baloch said. He said a case has been registered and police have established a picket in the town to deal with any untoward incident. "The situation is now normal," he said, adding that the police would take action against those who have ransacked properties of the Hindu community. "We have detained some suspects on charges of damaging properties," he added. The Mirpurkhas deputy commissioner said the government would compensate those whose properties were damaged during the violence. A large number of Hindus reside in the interior of Sindh province and in Karachi and the Pakistan Hindu Council has complained in the past of minority community members being targeted under the blasphemy law by people because of personal enmity. Hindus form the biggest minority community in Muslim-majority Pakistan. According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country.

Violence in Pakistan after Hindu veterinary doctor accused of blasphemy

Italy said on Tuesday it will help a Pakistani Christian woman leave her country because her life is in danger following charges of blasphemy against Islam that put her on death row for eight years.

Pakistan's Supreme Court acquitted Asia Bibi last month but the decision sparked mass protests and her husband, Ashiq Masih, says they could be killed by Islamists. Authorities have indicated they will bar Bibi from travelling abroad.

In February 2018, Masih and his daughter attended a ceremony in Italy to show solidarity with persecuted Christians where Rome's ancient Colosseum was lit in red.

Asia Bibi's case has galvanized Christian and human rights groups outraged by the country's treatment of religious minorities including its tiny Christian population.

Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini told a radio station that Italy is working discreetly on the case with other Western countries.

Marta Petrosillo, a spokesperson for the international Catholic agency Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) said her organisation had spoken to someone close to the family earlier in the morning.

Petrosillo said Asia Bibi was in the same security complex as her family but still separated from them.

"So far as we know she was able only to speak with her husband and she didn't meet her daughters yet but they are finally all together and they are waiting to go out of Pakistan but this morning they were still in Pakistan," she said.

Bibi's case has prompted groups such as ACN, which has close ties to the Vatican, to demand protection for Christians in countries where they are a minority.

Italy said on Tuesday it will help a Pakistani Christian woman leave her country because her life is in danger following charges of blasphemy against Islam that put her on death row for eight years.

Italy said on Tuesday it will help a Pakistani Christian woman leave her country because her life is in danger following charges of blasphemy against Islam that put her on death row for eight years. Pakistan's Supreme Court acquitted Asia Bibi last month but the decision sparked mass protests and her husband, Ashiq Masih, says they could be killed by Islamists. Authorities have indicated they will bar Bibi from travelling abroad. In February 2018, Masih and his daughter attended a ceremony in Italy to show solidarity with persecuted Christians where Rome's ancient Colosseum was lit in red. Asia Bibi's case has galvanized Christian and human rights groups outraged by the country's treatment of religious minorities including its tiny Christian population. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini told a radio station that Italy is working discreetly on the case with other Western countries. Marta Petrosillo, a spokesperson for the international Catholic agency Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) said her organisation had spoken to someone close to the family earlier in the morning. Petrosillo said Asia Bibi was in the same security complex as her family but still separated from them. "So far as we know she was able only to speak with her husband and she didn't meet her daughters yet but they are finally all together and they are waiting to go out of Pakistan but this morning they were still in Pakistan," she said. Bibi's case has prompted groups such as ACN, which has close ties to the Vatican, to demand protection for Christians in countries where they are a minority.

Pakistan blasphemy case: Italy says will help Asia Bibi leave her country

The Pakistani lawyer who saved a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy from death row said Monday that the UN and EU made him leave the country "against my wishes" because his life was at risk.

Saif-ul-Malook, who has <a href="http://www.wionews.com/pakistan/asia-bibis-lawyer-flees-to-the-netherlands-facing-threat-to-life-in-pakistan-175708">fled to the Netherlands</a>, said he contacted a United Nations official in Islamabad after Islamist violence erupted following the Pakistani Supreme Court's acquittal of Asia Bibi on Wednesday.

"And then they (the UN) and the European nation ambassadors in Islamabad, they kept me for three days and then put me on a plane against my wishes," the lawyer told a press conference in The Hague.

"I pressed them that I would not leave the country unless I get Asia out of the prison... I am not happy to be here without her but, but everybody said that you are the prime target at the moment and the whole world is taking care of Asia Bibi.

"They were of the view that I was the prime target to be killed, and that my life was in imminent danger. For three days they did not let me open the door, one day I called the French ambassador and said I do not want to be here."&nbsp;

The lawyer had previously told AFP before his departure on Saturday that he was leaving because "in the current scenario, it's not possible for me to live in Pakistan".

Saif-ul-Malook arrived in The Hague at the weekend after a short stopover in Rome, with the help of the HVC Foundation, a Dutch group that focuses on the human rights of Christian minorities.

Asia Bibi spent nearly a decade on death row after being accused of blasphemy after a dispute with fellow villagers. The charge is an inflammatory one in Muslim-majority Pakistan.

But she remains in Pakistan after Prime Minister Imran Khan struck a deal with with the Islamist hardliners behind the protests.

Saif-ul-Malook dismissed the deal as a "face-saving" exercise for the hardliners from the Tehreek-e-Labaik party and insisted that Asia Bibi would "100 per cent" be freed soon.

"This compromise is nothing but a piece of paper that can be thrown in the dustbin," he said.

It was not clear whether Bibi had had any firm offers of asylum if she does leave Pakistan, added the lawyer, who said he was "legally authorised" to choose a country for her.

The lawyer said a UN official in Pakistan told him "we are taking care of her" but that "when I said which country, they said we can't say.

"I asked the French ambassador 'would your country be willing to offer asylum to Asia Bibi. He said if you request us legally, I said 'OK I request her'."&nbsp;

The Pakistani lawyer who saved a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy from death row said Monday that the UN and EU made him leave the country "against my wishes" because his life was at risk.

The Pakistani lawyer who saved a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy from death row said Monday that the UN and EU made him leave the country "against my wishes" because his life was at risk. Saif-ul-Malook, who has fled to the Netherlands, said he contacted a United Nations official in Islamabad after Islamist violence erupted following the Pakistani Supreme Court's acquittal of Asia Bibi on Wednesday. "And then they (the UN) and the European nation ambassadors in Islamabad, they kept me for three days and then put me on a plane against my wishes," the lawyer told a press conference in The Hague. "I pressed them that I would not leave the country unless I get Asia out of the prison... I am not happy to be here without her but, but everybody said that you are the prime target at the moment and the whole world is taking care of Asia Bibi. "They were of the view that I was the prime target to be killed, and that my life was in imminent danger. For three days they did not let me open the door, one day I called the French ambassador and said I do not want to be here." The lawyer had previously told AFP before his departure on Saturday that he was leaving because "in the current scenario, it's not possible for me to live in Pakistan". Saif-ul-Malook arrived in The Hague at the weekend after a short stopover in Rome, with the help of the HVC Foundation, a Dutch group that focuses on the human rights of Christian minorities. Asia Bibi spent nearly a decade on death row after being accused of blasphemy after a dispute with fellow villagers. The charge is an inflammatory one in Muslim-majority Pakistan. But she remains in Pakistan after Prime Minister Imran Khan struck a deal with with the Islamist hardliners behind the protests. Saif-ul-Malook dismissed the deal as a "face-saving" exercise for the hardliners from the Tehreek-e-Labaik party and insisted that Asia Bibi would "100 per cent" be freed soon. "This compromise is nothing but a piece of paper that can be thrown in the dustbin," he said. It was not clear whether Bibi had had any firm offers of asylum if she does leave Pakistan, added the lawyer, who said he was "legally authorised" to choose a country for her. The lawyer said a UN official in Pakistan told him "we are taking care of her" but that "when I said which country, they said we can't say. "I asked the French ambassador 'would your country be willing to offer asylum to Asia Bibi. He said if you request us legally, I said 'OK I request her'."

Not happy to be here without Asia Bibi, her lawyer says in the Netherlands

Pakistan Islamists protest as Christian woman freed in blasphemy case

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