NEWS ON ASIA BEBE

Dear Fr. John
Please find the update of Asia .

December 3, 2010
Pakistan Cleric Offers Reward for Killing Christian Woman

Screen shot 2010-12-03 at 1.40.50 PMBreaking News: Both MSNBC and theAFP are reporting on the Pakistani Cleric by the name of Maulana Yousuf Qureshi (pictured) who is calling for the death of Asia Bibi and offering a $6000.00 bounty for doing so.

Please keep praying for Asia Bibi and her family, and also pray for those who are persecuting her to come to faith in Christ Jesus.
Link to this post | Posted by Stacy L. Harp in Christian Action, Christian News, Christian Persecution
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Court Prevents Pakistan’s President from Pardoning Asia Bibi

The high court in Pakistan told the president that he can’t pardon Bibi because the court has not yet decided on her appeal.

Washington, D.C. (November 29, 2010)–International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that today a court in Pakistan told the president of the country that he could not grant pardon to the Christian woman who has been sentenced to death for ‘blasphemy’ against Muhammad.

The Lahore High Court issued the order after lawyers argued that the president can not issue the pardon before Asia Bibi’s appeal to the High Court is decided.

Bibi had appealed to the High Court for the reversal of her death sentence, but the court has yet to set a date for the hearing of her appeal.

In a statement to ICC, Pakistan’s Minister for Minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti said that President Asif Ali Zardari has pledged to intervene if the High Court unnecessarily delayed in deciding Bibi’s case. The president also asked Bhatti to investigate Bibi’s case and Bhatti found her to be innocent.

Bhatti added that the under Article 45 of the country’s constitution, the president of Pakistan has authority to free convicts. The article states that: “the President shall have power to grant pardon, reprieve and respite, and to remit, suspend or commute any sentence passed by any court, tribunal or other authority.”

Meanwhile, fundamentalist Muslims have stepped up their threats against the Pakistani officials, warning that there will be anarchy if Bibi is pardoned.

Pakistan’s blasphemy laws stipulate that defaming the Islamic prophet Muhammad is punishable by death or life imprisonment. Muslim radicals have used the law to repeatedly incite violence against Christians, other religious minorities and even Muslims. In August 2009, a Muslim mob killed 11 Christians following a false allegation of the desecration of the Qur’an in Gorja, Pakistan. According to the State Department’s report on International Religious Freedom, 25 Ahmadis and 17 Muslims were arrested in 2008 alone for allegedly violating the blasphemy laws.

ICC’s Regional Manager for South Asia, Jonathan Racho, said “We are deeply saddened by the plight of Bibi and her family. It’s disturbing that Muslim radicals are using the legal system in Pakistan to delay the release of Bibi. We urge Pakistan to immediately release Bibi and repeal the blasphemy laws that are causing persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan.”

Please contact the Pakistani embassy in your countries and politely ask the Pakistani officials to release Asia Bibi.

Pakistani Embassies:

USA: (202) 243-3254 (Phone), (202) 686-1534(Fax)
Canada: (613) 238-7881 (Phone), (613) 238-7298 (Fax)
UK: 0870-005-6967 (Phone)
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The Archdeacon Fr. Mushtaq Andrew
Diocese of Lahore
Church of Pakistan CIPBC
2 Province of Anglican Catholic Church
www.wix.com/archdeacon/ad


AND ALSO THIS:

No pardon for Asia Bibi, orders Chief Justice LHC
Lahore: November 29, 2010. (PCP) The Chief Justice of Lahore High Court LHC, Khawaja Sharif bared President Asif Ali Zardari to pardon Asia Bibi, a Christian mother sentenced to death on accusation of blasphemy.
The interim orders were issued by Chief Justice LHC Khawaja Mohammad Sharif on a petition pleaded by Allah Bukhsh Advocate praying to stall any may be attempt of pardon to one Christian woman sentenced to death on defiling name of Prophet Mohammad by ADSJ of Nankana Sahib.

The petitioner Shahid Iqbal,s advocate pleaded that accused have filed her appeal in Lahore High Court against her death sentence and decision of appeal is awaited but it seems that President of Pakistan tends to pardon her while President can not pardon when an appeal is pending.

In a report in Pakistan Christian Post, it was feared that Asia Bibi will not be able to avail opportunity of Pardon by President Of Pakistan when family of Asia Bibi on directions of one NGO filed her appeal in LHC in haste.

On one hand, Governor of Punjab was visiting Asia Bibi in Seikhupura District jail and taking her thumb impressions on Affidavit to file her Pardon appeal with President of Pakistan, on other hand some NGO,s based in Lahore were taking her thumb impression to file her appeal against decision of ADSJ verdict. The race among government and NGO,s complicated release of Asia Bibi which benefited forces which consider blasphemy law soul and spirit of Islam.

Asia Bibi recorded her statement in Saddar Police Station, in Additional District and Session Judge Court and before Pakistani media that she never defiled name of Prophet Mohammad or commented against Islam but no one is ready to accept her statement and she is living in fear of life in Prison and her family is fled from her village Ittanwali and taken refuge in undisclosed location in Pakistan.

The Islamic leaders are holding Press Conferences and rallies to maintain sentence of death to Asia Bibi on accusation of blasphemy which can pressure Higher Court.

Pakistani Embassies:

USA: (202) 243-3254 (Phone), (202) 686-1534(Fax)
Canada: (613) 238-7881 (Phone), (613) 238-7298 (Fax)
UK: 0870-005-6967 (Phone)

--
The Archdeacon Fr. Mushtaq Andrew
Diocese of Lahore
Church of Pakistan CIPBC
2 Province of Anglican Catholic Church
www.wix.com/archdeacon/ad