Asia Bibi flies out of Pakistan?

MULTAN: Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who was acquitted on October 31 by Supreme Court in blasphemy case, has been freed from  Multan jail and is reportedly flown out of Pakistan.

Pakistan Foreign Office, however on Thursday dismissed reports that she  has left the country.

"Asia Bibi is in Pakistan. There is no truth in reports about Asia Bibi leaving the country," Geo News quoted a Foreign Office spokesman as saying.

Minister deplores 'fake news' of Asia Bibi leaving Pakistan

Fawad Chaudhry was commenting on reports that Asia Bibi has left Pakistan after being released from a prison in Multan.

Asia's conviction was overturned by the apex court on October 31, but she remained in prison as the government negotiated with protestors who blockaded major cities and demanded her immediate execution. She was in women's prison in Multan.

According to BBC radio, Asia Bibi, who spent eight years on death row for blasphemy has flown abroad with her family.

As per report, the jail authorities had received documents pertaining to her release earlier in the day after which she was freed. No responsible official concerned was available for comment on this information.

While some foreign media outlets claimed that she has flown abroad with her family and was accompanied by the Dutch ambassador.

Foreign news outlets, citing her lawyer Saif-ul-Muluk, have said: "She has been freed. And is on a plane but nobody knows where she will land."

In his tweet, Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament said: "Asia Bibi has left the prison and has been transferred to a safe place!"

It is learnt that, soon after her freedom from Multan prison,  a small plane arrived in the city with "a few foreigners and some Pakistanis" on board to fetch Bibi.

Asia's husband Ashiq Masih has already appealed to Britain and the United States to grant the family asylum, while her lawyer has fled to the Netherlands.

Several governments including those if Italy and France have offered to help. Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini tweeted: "I will do everything humanly possible to guarantee this young woman's future."

Asia's acquittal had led to countrywide demonstrations as thousands of protesters poured onto the streets in protest after Supreme Court judges overturned Asia Bibi's conviction in blasphemy case.

The protesters blockaded major cities to demand her immediate execution, in a three-day stand-off that ended when Prime Minister Imran Khan's administration agreed to allow a review of the Supreme Court's ruling.