LAHORE - Christian woman, Aasia Bibi, sentenced to death on blasphemy charges filed an appeal in Supreme Court Lahore Registry on Monday, her final legal recourse after being found guilty of insulting the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) four years ago.
Appellant Aasia Bibi said that she was sentenced without any credible evidence and the trial court ignored many points while announcing her conviction.
Nankana police had registered an FIR against her under Section 295-C of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on the complaint of Muhammad Salam. Complainant Muhammad Salam had alleged that Aasia Bibi committed blasphemy when she was working in the field on June 14, 2009. He alleged that he had not heard her uttering the blasphemous remarks but other ladies Asma Bibi, her sister Mafia Bibi, and Yasmin listened her saying so and later told him about the incident.
The complainant further alleged that local residents Muhammad Afzal and Mukhtar Ahmed summoned the accused and witnesses where the accused confessed her crime and begged a pardon. According to Mukhtar Asia had hurt sentiments of the Muslim community and she should be tried under blasphemy laws and should be brought to book.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Nankana Sahib Muhammad Naveed Iqbal tried the lady farm worker and after recording eight prosecution witnesses on November 8, 2010 awarded her death penalty. The court also ordered her to pay Rs100,000 as fine, failing which she would have to undergo an imprisonment of six months.
A special division bench of Lahore High Court on October 16 had rejected her appeal and upheld her death sentence.
Agencies add: "On behalf of Asia Bibi I have today filed an appeal in the Supreme Court," defence attorney Saiful Malook told a foreign news agency.
Malook said that in the petition his client had asked the court to reconsider deficiencies in the case including allegedly manipulated evidence and a delay between the time of the incident and its investigation by police.
Malook added that the blasphemy allegation was concocted by Aasia's enemies to target her and had no basis in fact.
"We expect an early hearing of the appeal and hope that the proceedings will be over in one year," he added.
Aasia's husband has also written to President Mamnoon Hussain to ask for her to be pardoned and allowed to move to France.
"We are convinced that Aasia will only be saved from being hanged if the venerable President Mamnoon Hussain grants her a pardon.
No one should be killed for drinking a glass of water," husband Ashiq Masih wrote in an open letter dated November 17 and published by the New York Times.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo has said the couple is welcome in the city.
Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in Pakistan.
Pakistan has never executed anyone for blasphemy and has had a de-facto moratorium on civilian executions since 2008.