Fearing for life, Asia Bibi's lawyer flees Pakistan

[Zibago]

Fearing for life, Asia Bibi's lawyer flees Pakistan

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AFP
3:13 PM | November 03, 2018

Lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook, who fought the case of Asia Bibi convicted of blasphemy, left Pakistan on Saturday owing to threats to his life.

READ MORE: Fearing for life, Asia Bibi's lawyer flees Pakistan
Saif-ul-Mulook's latest victory saw the freeing of Asia Bibi, who spent nearly a decade on death row after the Supreme Court of Pakistan overturned her sentence on Wednesday.

The decision sparked protests across the country, with major roads blocked in Lahore and Islamabad as hardliners called for the death of the judges and those who helped acquit Asia Bibi.

"In the current scenario, it's not possible for me to live in Pakistan," the 62-year-old told AFP before boarding a plane to Europe early Saturday morning.



"I need to stay alive as I still have to fight the legal battle for Asia Bibi," he said.

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Yesterday, the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan party (TLP), which has largely led the demonstrations, announced an end to mass protests after reaching a deal with the government.

A five-point agreement seen by AFP, signed by both parties, said the government would not object to an appeal of the verdict, filed earlier in the Supreme Court.

When asked about the Islamist outcry, Mulook said it was "unfortunate but not unexpected".

"What's painful is the response of the government. They cannot even implement an order of the country's highest court," he said, adding that "the struggle for justice must continue".

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According to the agreement, which came after a failed first round of talks, legal proceedings will follow to impose a travel ban on Asia Bibi and stop her leaving the country.

"Her life would be more or less the same, either inside a prison or in solitary confinement for security fears" until a decision on the appeal, said Mulook.



"Yet another government has capitulated to the extremists who neither believe in the democracy nor the constitution," it read.

The TLP, founded in 2015, blockaded the capital Islamabad for several weeks last year calling for stricter enforcement of Pakistan's blasphemy laws.

READ MORE: Quetta, Lahore agree on blockbusters PSL trade
That protest forced the resignation of the federal law minister and paved the way for the group to poll more than 2.23 million votes in the July 25 general election, in what analysts called a "surprisingly" rapid rise.
https://nation.com.pk/03-Nov-2018/f...V9VfGeAsJ3CSRZk-bc8yPgy39NFPtXU5Onm8fyHH5edhE

 

[Crystal-Clear]

he is going to ask for asylum . nothing new typical drama .

 

[A.A. Khan]

Rofl no details about the perks and package provided by foreign state thru NGO to this foreign tool lawyer.

He would definitely been provided around a million $ apart from a residence for selling himself.

I predict he will not return to Pakistan. Will spit venom on Pakistan from abroad like Tarek Fatah or Husain Haqqani.

 

[Yaseen1]

True person never fear from death

 

[Indus Pakistan]

When a state cannot guarantee the most basic requirement - personal safety of it's citizens it indeed is tragic. Even the army cowered in the face of the mullahs. DG ISPR yesterday effectively officially surrendered by saying "don't drag the army into Asia Bibi case". And idiots here on PDF have repeated this line. Don't drag the army in? Ffs the army was already dragged nose deep in by Rizvi when he made -


"shocking and unacceptable allegations made by the protest leaders against the military leadership and blatant calls for mutiny in the armed forces including against the person of Gen Bajwa"


Ask soldiers of Pakistan Army to mutiny against their command and COAS Bajwa is high treason. As if to add insult to injury TLP/Rizvi called for -

"called for the execution of superior court justices."


This amounts to inciting murder of spreme court judges? Any chance of Suo Motu action being taken? Apparently not. The Judiciary has also gone quite. All this shows the power of these mullahs in Pakistan.

 

[war&peace]

Only time will tell.. did he leave the country out of genuine reason or basically used to it get asylum since Asiya Bibi herself is in Pakistan and so are the CJs, COAS and PM. Did he request for security?

 

[zip]

True person never fear from death

You should be put inside a cage filled with mad dogs to know whether you are true or false ..

 

[SuvarnaTeja]

he is going to ask for asylum . nothing new typical drama .

Only time will tell.. did he leave the country out of genuine reason or basically used to it get asylum since Asiya Bibi herself is in Pakistan and so are the CJs, COAS and PM. Did he request for security?

You need asylum status to live in a foreign country for a long period. Asylum is not the goal but a tool to achieve the goal of not getting killed in Pakistan.

 

[Indus Pakistan]

basically used to it get asylum since Asiya Bibi herself is in Pakistan and so are the CJs, COAS and PM.

So, let me get this right. He has only done what you or your parents did. Leave for secular, gay lovin haven like Sweden [in my case UK] and your fcukin castigating this guy. And being a top line lawyer he could have easily moved abroad anyway. And the grace in all this, is your a ex-pat who is busting him because he has made the exact same choice as you.

You know even the word hypocracy is too small to sum you up..

 

[IceCold]

When you have goons like Rizvi roaming around with impunity, killing people, burning their properties cars motorcycles, jamming the entire country and bringing the whole country to its knees than it is only natural for the lawyer to flee from Pakistan to save his life. People saying true people never fear from death, its easy said than done. Why should he put his life on risk when the state cannot guarantee his safety.
He did the right thing. Us ka bhagna be banta ha.

 

[Indus Pakistan]

You should be put inside a cage filled with mad dogs to know whether you are true or false ..

I would pay to watvh such a spectacle all the while shouting the tired out cliche "one minute as lion is better then life of a sheep"

 

[A.A. Khan]

@zip

Why did Indian authorities stop Kashmiri human rights lawyers from boarding flights?
Don't understand indian apni auqaat bhooljatey hain before commenting.

Rofl mite have tried this in Haryana.

 

[litman]

True person never fear from death

there is nothing wrong to escape to safety. muslims did hijrat to habsha and madina. there is a slight difference between bravery and stupidity.

 

[SuvarnaTeja]

True person never fear from death

Asia Bibi is an Avataar of god while her lawyer is just a mere mortal.

 

[war&peace]

So, let me get this right. He has only done what you or your parents did. Leave for secular, gay lovin haven like Sweden [in my case UK] and your fcukin castigating this guy. And being a top line lawyer he could have easily moved abroad anyway. And the grace in all this, is your a ex-pat who is busting him because he has made the exact same choice as you.

You know even the word hypocracy is too small to sum you up..

Well since you acknowledged so your parents did that. But none in my case...neither I nor my parents applied for an asylum..rather my father never applied for any permanent residence outside Pakistan..my late mother was a dual national (by birth US citizen) but moved to Pakistan and spend rest of her life in Pakistan.. but you wouldn't know about other categories than asylum .. so sad.