AMN / ISLAMABAD
Pakistan Supreme Court court has overturned the death sentence awarded to a Christian woman who was charged with blasphemy in 2010.
In overturning the controversial lower court decision, Pakistan’s Supreme Court quoted the Koran in its ruling, saying “tolerance is the basic principle of Islam.”
Asia Bibi was convicted of insulting the religion after a dispute with her Muslim neighbors who said she couldn’t drink from their glass because she wasn’t Muslim.
She and her lawyer continue to deny she made any insult.
Her lawyer Saiful Malookl praised the verdict, saying Bibi got justice from the Supreme Court.
Bibi wasn’t in the courtroom for security reasons, but she told AFP news agency that she was happy with the ruling.
Hard-line Muslims took to the streets to protest and threatened the judges with death.
Muhammad Yahya Qadri, an Islamic group leader in Karachi said he was shocked to hear the news and warned that the government should overrule the court’s decision.
Blasphemy is an extremely sensitive issue in the country.
Two politicians who tried to have the law amended in an attempt to defend Asia Bibi were killed.
Rights activists say the law is too sweeping and is abused to settle grudges.