Islamabad: A Rawalpindi court has sentenced 86 people in Tehreek-e-Labaik (TLP), the Islamist militant movement, to 55 years in jail for assaulting a Christian woman, who was jailed for years in Pakistan for blasphemy. In 2018, violent protests broke out in different parts of Pakistan. Qadim Hussain Rizvi, who had called for a protest, had earlier been taken into custody. TLP’s lawyer argued that the protest was not against the acquittal of Asia Bibi and that Rizvi was arrested, but the court did not consider him. But the decision is to go to appeal.
In 2009, Asia was jailed for fake religion following a dispute with neighboring women over drinking water at work. The Pakistani court upheld the death penalty in 2010, but the Pakistani Supreme Court acquitted it in 2018 due to strong pressure from the international community and human rights activists. This was followed by widespread attacks. Extremist Pakistani Muslims took to the streets carrying placards, including the hanging of Asia. Following the death threat, Asia was finally sheltered by Bibi.
