The Pakistani Christian woman, Asia Bibi, who has recently been acquitted of blasphemy charges by the apex court after being on death row for years has left the country.
Sources in Pakistan Foreign Ministery wishing not to be named told The News Tribe that Bibi left the country on Tuesday.
Asia Bibi was convicted in 2010 by a local court on blasphemy charges. The death sentence awarded by the trial court was upheld by Lahore High Court. However, the Supreme Court overturned the judgement and released the woman who spent a year in jail.
Pakistani government officials did not reveal her destination, or say when she left.
But her lawyer Saif ul Malook told the BBC she had already arrived in Canada, where two of her daughters are understood to have been granted asylum.
Asia Noreen – commonly known as Asia Bibi – was kept at a secret location while arrangements were made for her to leave the country.
The Supreme Court’s quashing of her sentence last October led to violent protests by religious hardliners who support strong blasphemy laws, while more liberal sections of society urged her release.
Last year, Pakistani authorities arrested prominent Islamic cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi, whose Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) party led to mass protests over Asia Bibi’s acquittal.
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