News Desk |
Foreign Office spokesperson has denied reports that Asia Bibi had flown out of the country, urging media to be responsible. “Asia Bibi is in Pakistan. There is no truth in reports of her leaving Pakistan; It is a fake news,” Dr. Faisal said during a press briefing.
The FO spokesperson’s statement came in response to news reports that Bibi had left the country following her release from a prison in Multan on Wednesday night.
According to the details, Asia Bibi was released form Multan Jail and shifted to the federal capital amid tight security, exactly a week after the apex court acquitted her of blasphemy charges. Sources claim that she landed at the Old Benazir Bhutto Airport of Islamabad and was taken to an unclosed location; here whereabouts are being kept secret for security reasons.
Controversial assumptions can deteriorate the security situation of the country which government made placid by reaching the agreement with TLP recently.
FO’s clarification came when the statement of her lawyer Saif-ul-Malook led to the assumption that she had left the country. Saif-ul-Muluk in a message to foreign news outlet has said, “She has been freed. And is on a plane but nobody knows where she will land.”
Federal Minister for Information, Fawad Chaudhry too has denied the media reports and criticized fake news publication by media. In his tweet, he urged the media to be responsible.
It has become a norm to publish fake news for sake of headlines, #AsiaBibi case is sensitive issue it was extremely irresponsible to publish news of her leaving the country without confirmation, I strongly urge section of media to act responsible
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) November 8, 2018
Earlier, Antonia Tajani, president of the European Parliament on his Twitter account said, “Asia Bibi has left the prison and has been transferred to a safe place.”
Several national and foreign media outlets are claiming that soon after Asia Bibi’s was freed from her Multan prison, a small plane arrived in the city with “a few foreigners and some Pakistanis” on board to fetch Bibi.
Read more: Will the government place Asia Bibi’s name on ECL?
While her lawyer has flown to Netherland, Asia’s husband Ashiq Masih has appealed to Britain and the United States to grant the family asylum. Several governments, including those of Italy and France, have extended their help to the government.
https://twitter.com/EP_President/status/1059785446883057664
https://twitter.com/EP_President/status/1060267203914878976
Interior Minister of Italy, Mr. Matteo Salvini said earlier,” I will do everything humanly possible to guarantee this young woman. “
The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) has already announced to hold a million man march in Karachi; TLP has been threatening to be on roads again in case the Government-TLP agreement is violated, Asia Bibi’s safety is also at stake, and government has already initiated a crackdown on the violent demonstrators for their vandalism–to which the TLP is strongly reacting and opposing to.
Read more: Asia Bibi case verdict, fallacious arguments and our national mindset
Given the sensitivity of the issue, the media is supposed to support the government in respecting the secrecy policy adapted and play a rather responsible and professional role. Controversial assumptions can deteriorate the security situation of the country which government made placid by reaching the agreement with TLP recently.