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The case that has shaken Pakistan right off its perch, the Supreme Court’s acquittal of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who was charged with false blasphemy, has taken another turn.
A couple of weeks back, the top court of Pakistan had finally reached a decision on the infamous Asia Bibi case, where she was acquitted and released from prison after no charges of blasphemy could be proven against her. After the said decision, religious parties of Pakistan, mainly the TLP took to the streets and vandalized the city in a prolific mob fashion.
Four days after the protests began, the government was able to reach a consensus with TLP, which inferred the end of the protests throughout Pakistan. However, the government had to agree to some debatable clauses in the negotiations.
Since then, religious fanatics have demanded re-arresting Asia Bibi and have also filed a review petition in the Supreme Court. On the other hand, the State is not keen on restarting the case and there have been numerous rumours about Asia Bibi already leaving the country.
In the latest update, the Canadian Prime Minister and heartthrob of many, Justin Trudeau, has offered Asia Bibi asylum in Canada. As per the latest news, the Pakistani and Canadian governments are discussing the prospects of the move.
“We are in discussions with the Pakistani government,” Trudeau said in an interview with Agence France Presse in Paris, where he attended a ceremony marking the end of world war one. His comments were confirmed by a spokesman in Ottawa. “There is a delicate domestic context that we respect which is why I don’t want to say any more about that, but I will remind people Canada is a welcoming country,” he said.
Since Asia Bibi’s acquittal from blasphemy charges, the Canadian government had been in talks with Pakistan on her potential asylum, along with ensuring her and her family’s security. When rumours of Asia Bibi leaving for Netherland surfaced, Islamists had threatened the Holland embassy in Pakistan on which the Dutch had to shut their embassy down for a while.
With Canada offering asylum to Asia Bibi, it only makes sense that there would be harsh and severe consequences by the religious fanatics on the said ordeal if it goes through. Pakistanis who live in Canada are in huge numbers, with the country being one of the key remittance senders for Pakistan.
If these extremist elements threat to shut down the Canadian embassy or wreak havoc on it, the results would be extremely adverse for Canadian-Pakistanis, who go out and back to Canada on regular basis.
