Remember Asia Bibi, Sentenced To Death For Blasphemy In Pakistan?

[ladybirder]

She was on BBC News talking from France and looking so happy, promoting her new book. She lives with her family now, in Canada. I remember following her story when she escaped from Pakistan as crowds on the streets were baying for her blood. Nice to read some good news.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-51658141

[albaqwerty]

I hope she continues to be happy and healthy. She's been through hell, irrespective of Pakistani denials, and has come out the other side.

[ladybirder]

She says she still loves her country and wants to go back again one day, which I find amazing. I don't think things have changed that much since she left, if at all. Would she be safe now? I wouldn't risk it if I was her.

[albaqwerty]

LB, I doubt if it will ever be safe for her to go back which is a great shame.
The mob which accused her of blasphemy reminded me of the dark ages (?) where a woman who wasn't liked or respected or whatever trumped up reason, was accused of being a witch.
That sort of mentality won't go away for a long, long time. Makes me sad.

[Mamyalynne]

I hope there comes a day when she will be safe to return - we can only hope.

[Theland]

And yet we let thousands of these peopl immigrate to our country every year.
Madness.

[ladybirder]

That is exactly what it was like Alba. She was a Christian who refused to become a Muslim so her lovely neighbours had her arrested on trumped up charges and she was sentenced to death.
I doubt it will be in our lifetime, or certainly not mine mamya. She's a very forgiving lady, holding no grudges.

[marval]

What an amazing lady, I hope one day she will be able to go back.

[emmie]

personally she is better off where she is, there are a lot of people there who don't forget, so she would still be at risk of being murdered.

[Old_Geezer]

Good to hear she's out of it.

[ladybirder]

Reading her account of what she went through in jail alone makes me thankful I live in the UK. Well it does me anyway.
In her book, Ms Bibi tells how she feared for her life in prison, with other inmates calling for her to be hanged. She also recalled mistreatment at the hands of the prison guards.
"I can't breathe," she writes. "My neck is compressed by a neck brace that the guard can tighten as much as he wants with a big key. A long chain drags on the dirty floor; it links my throat to the guard's handcuffs that drags me like a dog."
What a country.

[naomi24]

She will never be safe.

[ladybirder]

No she won't, I agree. Remembering the crowds of rampaging men screaming for her blood I don't understand why she would want to go back, especially when she has her family with her and is relatively safe.