Pakistan: Asia Bibi's Case Still on Hold, but Family Remains Hopeful

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

SHEIKHPURA, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- The case of Asia Bibi, the 45-year-old Pakistani Christian mother-of-five who is under the threat of the death penalty for alleged blasphemy, is still on hold, but her family remains hopeful.

A worldwide prayer campaign has been mounted for Asia Bibi

According a story released by Spero News (www.speroforum.com), Bibi has waited for months for an appeal trial but Pakistani judges "do not appear in a hurry to add her case to their agenda."

Bibi has denied the blasphemy charge that stemmed from an accusation after a dispute in June 2009 involving Muslim women who refused to drink from the same water bowl as Bibi. When she challenged them on this, they then charged her with committing blasphemy, for which she was found guilty in case that has caused uproar around the world.

The Christian woman's attorney, S.K. Chaudhry, filed again for an appeal after four judges were suddenly replaced on Tuesday.

"Our hope is for the High Court to appoint a judge," the lawyer said, who had filed an appeal in January against her death sentence for blasphemy, alleging that the original evidence presented in court was false.

"Meanwhile, Bibi's health is deteriorating after five months in isolation in Sheikhpura prison. Security around her has been beefed up after a Christian man, Qamar David, was [allegedly] poisoned to death in Karachi Ventral Prison," said the story

Ashiq Masih with two of their children

Ashiq Masih, Asia Bibi's husband, visits her every week with their two daughters. He is desperate. "Bibi is frail and can barely speaks," he said. "She asks me about the High Court hearing every time, and every time in disappointment I tell her that we are waiting the court to take up the case. She has not lost hope and she has the faith that God will take her out of the jail," he explained.

"My Mother is innocent. She is weak and can barely speak. I can't control my tears when I see her," the youngest daughter said. "We have been forced to face hardships because my mother stood firm for her faith. We are praying for her, we are hopeful that someday she will be with us and we will once again live a normal life".

Pakistani Christians protest against the controversial blasphemy laws

Bibi's eldest daughter is also in tears. "Every time I hear news about persecution or blasphemy, I get scared that, God forbid, something will happen to my mother. We spend every single day in fear. Although the delay is making me lose hope, I pray every time and feel that God will bring her back one day. The moment she comes, we will forget all the hardships we have faced."

For Saleem Murtaza, a legal expert who has been following up Asia Bibi's case, "The High Court is delaying the hearing due to the pressure from extremists and clerics. There is a great possibility that if the High Court takes up the case, it will maintain the death sentence.

"The pressure from extremist groups and the bounty over Asia's head will increase the threat for the judiciary as well. The courts will be closed for 15 days in the month of August and then another week for Eid*

.

"Nothing less than a miracle at this time can turn things around."

* Eid, is a three-day Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan.

Source: Asia News

Dan Wooding, 70, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 47 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He now hosts the weekly "Front Page Radio" show on KWVE in Southern California which is also carried on the Calvary Radio Network throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 200 countries. You can follow Dan on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. He is the author of some 44 books. Two of the latest include his autobiography, "From Tabloid to Truth", which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link. Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel "Red Dagger" which is available this link.