Aasia Bibi leaves Pakistan after blasphemy acquittal

IANS  |  Islamabad 

Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman who was cleared by the of charges last year after spending eight years on death row, has left the country, officials said on Wednesday.

Though the Pakistani did not specify where has gone or when she left, quoted her as saying that she is in

The mother of five from Pakistan's province was taken out of the country after repeated death threats from religious extremists following the quashing of her conviction for

She has been separated from her family and living in safe houses since the 2018 overturning of the sentence. Her children are already in

was convicted in 2010 and sentenced to hang after she was accused of insulting the Prophet Mohammed during a row with her neighbours.

The apex court's quashing of Bibi's sentence last October led to violent protests by religious hardliners who support strong laws, while more liberal sections of society urged her release.

Before Bibi's conviction was overturned, far-right Islamist party (TLP) vowed to take to the streets if she was freed. Massive protests paralyzed the country for three days after the ruling was announced.

The group went on the rampage when Bibi's was acquitted, with protesters jamming into cities, attacking public property and burning cars.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Wed, May 08 2019. 12:54 IST