Web Report
LONDON — Jemima Goldsmith, former wife of Prime Minister Imran Khan, has criticised Pakistan government to bow down before extremists’ demands to bar Asia Bibi from leaving the country.
To calm down the bubbling agitation by radical Islamist groups erupted after the Supreme Court overturned the death sentence of Christian woman Asia Bibi, who had been convicted in 2010 of blasphemy in Pakistan, Pakistan government has made an agreement with the protesting groups including to bar Asia from leaving the country.
The agreement shows how difficult it is in Pakistan to deal with the radical groups. Jemima said the Pakistan government has caved in to extremists’ demands to restore normalcy.
Jemima took to Twitter saying, “Not the Naya Pakistan we’d hoped for. 3 days after a defiant & brave speech defending the judiciary, Pakistan’s gov caves in to extremist demands to bar #AsiaBibi from leaving Pak, after she was acquitted of blasphemy- effectively signing her death warrant.”
Not the Naya Pakistan we’d hoped for. 3 days after a defiant & brave speech defending the judiciary, Pakistan’s gov caves in to extremist demands to bar #AsiaBibi from leaving Pak, after she was acquitted of blasphemy- effectively signing her death warrant https://t.co/YwUpRM8cnu
— Jemima Goldsmith (@Jemima_Khan) November 3, 2018
She went on to say, “Still hoping there’s some plan afoot which we don’t know about.”
The government and protesters’ leaders reached an agreement to end three days sit-ins across the country.
As per the five-point agreement:
- a prompt action will be taken to place Asia Bibi’s name on Exit Control List,
- a review petition, which is the right the complainant, will be filed against her acquittal and the government will not oppose it,
- the protesters who were arrested on October 30 and later on will be released soon.
- Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan will apologize to those whose sentiments have been unnecessarily hurt during the protests.
- Legal action will be taken for the protesters, if killed following acquittal of Asia Bibi.
The agreement was signed by Sahibzada Dr Noorul Haq Qadri, Minister for Religious Affairs and Raja Basharat, State Law Minister, Punjab from government side; and Peer Mohammed Afzal Qadri, Patron, Tehreek e Labbaik and Mohammed Waheed Noor, Chief administrator Tehreek e Labbaik from protesters’ groups.
