Asia Bibi fears she is next

(March 11, 2011) Pakistani woman Asia Bibi, who has been sentenced to death on blasphemy charges, has voiced her “pain and concern” following the assassination of Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti. The Catholic woman compared Bhatti to slain Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who defended her publicly “and paid with his life,” her lawyer told Fides news agency. The Christian mother is in an isolation cell in a Punjab jail for violating the country’s strict blasphemy law, an allegation she denies. She is still afraid that she could be the next target of violent Islamic groups. Posters have appeared inside the jail showing images of Taseer and Bhatti with a large question mark and the threatening phrase “Who will be next?” “Asia says that part of her hope died with Bhatti, but there are other things that give her hope: the support of all Christians in Pakistan and around the world; the visit of her children,” which was recently made possible after bureaucratic problems, according to Bibi’s lawyer. Bibi’s legal team said that it would be preferable to delay her case before starting the appeal process, given current tensions. They emphasized the need to defend religious minorities in Pakistan.