ISLAMABAD: During a telephone conversation with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi reiterated that Pakistan completely respects Aasia Bibi’s legal rights and would ensure that she was extended the same, a statement released by the Foreign Ministry read on Tuesday.
“Canadian FM telephoned FM Qureshi yesterday. Among other issues, Aasia Bibi was discussed. Canadian FM appreciated the Supreme Court’s courageous decision and PM’s positive speech,” Dr. Mohammad Faisal, Foreign Ministry spokesperson posted on social media on Tuesday.
He added that Qureshi informed Freeland that “Aasia Bibi is our national [citizen] and Pakistan fully respects her legal rights”.
Bibi, 51, is a Christian woman whose case gained international attention after she was placed on death row in 2010. This was after a lower court found her guilty of committing blasphemy. However, citing a lack of credible evidence in the case, the Supreme Court (SC) overturned the ruling on October 31, acquitting Bibi of all charges. The decision led to massive protests across the country, spearheaded by a far-right religious party, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), who set several conditions for calling off the protests. Prime among these was that the SC overturns its verdict and places Bibi on the country’s Exit Control List.
The TLP party reiterated on Tuesday that it strictly opposed her release while threatening to stir up protests if Bibi was permitted to leave the country. “It is a stance of the millions of Pakistani Muslims,” TLP spokesman Ejaz Ashrafi told Reuters.
Meanwhile, Bibi’s husband has appealed to Britain, Canada, and the United States to grant her a safe passage out of Pakistan, claiming that her life was in danger as long as she continued to live in the country. Last week, Bibi’s lawyer, Saiful Mulook, flew to the Netherlands fearing for his life.
While the government has indicated to protesters that it will bar Bibi from traveling abroad, international talks suggest otherwise. In an interview with Agence France Presse, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday that talks were underway with Pakistan in this regard. “We are in discussions with the Pakistani government,” Trudeau said, adding that, “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 added.
We respect Aasia Bibi’s legal rights, Qureshi tells Canadian FM
We respect Aasia Bibi’s legal rights, Qureshi tells Canadian FM
- TLP workers threaten to stir up protests if Christian woman is allowed to leave Pakistan
- Case gained global traction after she was placed on death row in a blasphemy case
Pakistan says nine militants killed in security operations in northwest
- The intelligence-based operations were conducted in Tank and Lakki Marwat districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Military says the counterterrorism campaign is being pursued under the framework of the National Action Plan
PESHAWAR: Security forces in Pakistan said on Saturday they killed nine militants belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in two intelligence-based operations in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Pakistan refers to fighters of the TTP, an umbrella group of various armed factions, as “khwarij,” a term from early Islamic history used to describe an extremist sect that rebelled against authority. The military also alleges the group receives arms and funding from the Indian government, a charge New Delhi denies.
The two operations were carried out on Dec. 5 in the volatile districts of Tank and Lakki Marwat, according to a statement from the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
“On reported presence of khwarij, an intelligence-based operation was conducted by the Security Forces in Tank District,” the statement said. “During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location and after an intense fire exchange, seven khwarij were sent to hell.”
“Another intelligence-based operation was conducted in Lakki Marwat District,” it added. “In ensuing fire exchange, two more khwarij were effectively neutralized by the security forces.”
ISPR said weapons and ammunition were recovered from the militants, whom it described as “Indian sponsored” and accused of involvement in attacks on security personnel, law enforcement agencies and civilians.
It said follow-up “sanitization operations” were under way as part of the country’s counterterrorism campaign under Azm-e-Istehkam, approved by the Federal Apex Committee of the National Action Plan, which aims to eliminate what it called foreign-supported militant threats in the country.
