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Reports of secret airlift of Christian woman acquitted of blasphemy roil Pakistan
Source: Washington Post
Reports of secret airlift of Christian woman acquitted of blasphemy roil Pakistan
By Pamela Constable November 8 at 8:40 AM
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Unconfirmed reports of a secrecy-shrouded airlift abroad of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman recently acquitted of blasphemy against Islam, are intensifying fears that have gripped Pakistan since last week, when violent protests and death threats against government officials greeted a Supreme Court ruling in her favor.
Pakistani news media reported widely Thursday that Bibi, whose lawyer fled the country earlier this week, was covertly freed from prison in the city of Multan under a high court order, driven to a military air base near the capital and flown to the Netherlands on Wednesday, accompanied by her family and the Dutch ambassador to Pakistan.
Pakistani officials repeatedly denied those reports, insisting throughout the day Thursday that she had not been freed. The government, in a frantic and successful effort to stop the spreading violence last week, agreed in negotiations with protest leaders that it would not allow her to leave the country.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said Thursday that Bibi has been released from prison but remains “in a safe place in Pakistan.” He cautioned the news media to verify all speculative reports of her leaving “to prevent needless sensationalism and controversy.”
-snip-
By Pamela Constable November 8 at 8:40 AM
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Unconfirmed reports of a secrecy-shrouded airlift abroad of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman recently acquitted of blasphemy against Islam, are intensifying fears that have gripped Pakistan since last week, when violent protests and death threats against government officials greeted a Supreme Court ruling in her favor.
Pakistani news media reported widely Thursday that Bibi, whose lawyer fled the country earlier this week, was covertly freed from prison in the city of Multan under a high court order, driven to a military air base near the capital and flown to the Netherlands on Wednesday, accompanied by her family and the Dutch ambassador to Pakistan.
Pakistani officials repeatedly denied those reports, insisting throughout the day Thursday that she had not been freed. The government, in a frantic and successful effort to stop the spreading violence last week, agreed in negotiations with protest leaders that it would not allow her to leave the country.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said Thursday that Bibi has been released from prison but remains “in a safe place in Pakistan.” He cautioned the news media to verify all speculative reports of her leaving “to prevent needless sensationalism and controversy.”
-snip-
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/secret-airlift-of-christian-woman-acquitted-of-blasphemy-roils-pakistan/2018/11/08/b4403a96-e353-11e8-b759-3d88a5ce9e19_story.html
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