According to a press release issued by a Lahore based Christian lawyer Sardar Mushtaq Gill Advocate claimed that he was denied permission to meet Asia Bibi by Multan Jail administration when he reached in Jail vicinity today.
The Home department of Punjab which supervise Prisons in Punjab province have put restrictions on visits of Asia Bibi for Journalists and other relatives without special permissions except visit of Asia Bibi’s daughters and husband once a month.
It is not clear that Sardar Mushtaq Gill advocate contacted Punjab Home Depart and Jail administration denied him visit or he reached on Multan Prison gate without any prior permission.
Due to high profile blasphemy case of Asia Bibi after demand of her freedom on humanitarian ground from prison by Pope, some International media outlets and International NGO,s paid huge amounts to interview Asia Bibi when he was in Sheikhupura Jail but some elements of Local NGO prepared interviews sitting in their home without meeting Asia Bibi which were published but later denied by Home Department of Punjab that any interview was conducted or any one visited her.
According to press release of LEAD “Today July 25, 2015, Sardar Mushtaq Gill, Human Rights Defender and Advocate High Court went to visit and confirm Asia Bibi’s health condition who is presently confined in Multan women prison death cell. Mr. Gill was not permitted by jail officials to visit Asia about whom it is reportedly said from last months that she is suffering from intestinal bleeding, her health problems are only getting worse and she is in dire need of medical attention”
On 22 July, the Supreme Court stays the execution of Asia Bibi on blasphemy charges after granting leave to appeal and accepted her appeal for hearing.
Zulifqar Masih, Human Rights Defender education coordinator of LEAD along with Aric John, Advocate High Court and main counsel of LEAD were present in the court when the Supreme Court has heard the arguments advanced by Asia’s lawyer. The full bench of Supreme Court ordered in the hearing and issued orders to stop implementation of death sentence till next order.
Asia Bibi was found charged of making derogatory comments about the Prophet Muhammad during an argument with a Muslim co-worker women.
Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian mother of five, is on death row, has been given a ray of hope when the Apex Court granted her leave to appeal and accepted for hearing. The appeal was set to be heard on 22 July.
50-year-old, Asia Bibi has been on death row since she was accused of committing blasphemy in June 2009 by her fellow-workers. Session’s Court in District Nankana , ruled capital punishment for Asia Bibi in 2010. Her defence lawyers filed an appeal against the decision in High Court while she remained in police custody since then.
During this period hearing of her appeal case was either rescheduled or delayed countless times. Nonetheless, on October 16, 2014 the Lahore High Court sustained her death penalty after issuing a short order. Since her ordeal began, as per reports her health has deteriorated greatly.
http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/, Updated On: July 25, 2015.