ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani Christian woman who was exonerated in a blasphemy case after spending eight years on death row and set free by the Supreme Court on Tuesday is all set to fly to Canada to join her two daughters there, her lawyer said on Wednesday.
The apex court upheld the October acquittal of Aasia Bibi, 54, in a landmark blasphemy case, clearing the final legal obstacle in her path to freedom and allowing her to seek asylum in a country of her choice.
“She will fly to Canada very soon to join her daughters who are already there. Yes, Canada has offered them the asylum,” Saiful Malook, who pleaded Bibi’s case in the court, told Arab News on Wednesday.
Bibi’s two daughters were secretly flown out to Canada earlier this month after accepting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's offer for asylum.
In November last year, Trudeau said that his government was engaging with Pakistani authorities over Bibi's case. “We are in discussions with the Pakistani government,” he said.
“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 that Canada is a welcoming country,” Trudeau said.
Shortly after the dismissal of a review petition -- which had sought that a death sentence awarded by a lower court to Bibi be upheld -- dozens of activists of the ultra-Islamist Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party held protests in different cities of the country, including Karachi, Hyderabad, and Lahore.
They demanded that the government must “hang Aasia Bibi for defaming Prophet Muhammad [PBUH].” The law enforcement agencies, however, moved quickly and arrested scores of protesters to restore law and order.
Aasia Bibi to join her daughters in Canada “very soon” – lawyer
Aasia Bibi to join her daughters in Canada “very soon” – lawyer
- Duo had flown to Ottawa earlier this month
- Country has offered asylum to Pakistani Christian woman and her family
Saudi-backed Wafi Energy partners with Pakistan’s MG to launch motor oil range
- Deal expands Saudi-owned firm’s footprint in Pakistan’s lubricants market
- Advanced synthetic oils to be distributed through nationwide fuel network
ISLAMABAD: MG JW Automobile Pakistan Pvt. Ltd. has signed a memorandum of understanding with Wafi Energy Pakistan Limited, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia-based Wafi Energy Holding, to introduce MG Motor Oil in Pakistan, the company said in a statement this month.
The agreement marks another step in the expansion of Saudi private investment in Pakistan’s downstream energy and automotive servicing sectors, following Wafi Energy’s acquisition of Shell Pakistan last year.
“Introducing Advanced Synthetic Technology motor oils 0W-20 SP C5 and 5W-30 SP C3, engineered to meet the demands of modern engines,” the MG statement said.
The company added the products were aimed at “redefining engine performance and ensuring the highest standards of engine protection, efficiency, and reliability for customers.”
Wafi Energy Pakistan Limited, formerly Shell Pakistan Limited, operates one of the country’s largest fuel retail and lubricants networks. Shell plc divested its majority stake in 2024, after which the company was rebranded under Saudi ownership while continuing to market fuels and lubricants under the Shell brand.
The MG partnership allows the Saudi-owned firm to deepen its integration into Pakistan’s automotive after-sales market, leveraging its nationwide infrastructure to distribute synthetic motor oils tailored to modern vehicle engines.
