Pakistani Christian woman in jail for blasphemy released on bail
ICC Note:
Shamim Bibi, a Pakistani Christian arrested for blasphemy, was released on bail in Bahawalpur yesterday. Aneeqa Maria, an advocate with ‘The Voice’ told the Pakistan Christian Post that Shamim is with her family at a “safe place”. Shamim was merely one of hundreds of Christians and other religious minorities who—to this day—languish in Pakistani jails on false allegations of blasphemy.
11/4/2012 Pakistan (Pakistan Christian Post) – The blasphemy accused Pakistani Christian woman Shamim Bibi was released on bail from Bahawalpur jail today on two surety bonds of 4 hundred thousand rupees on orders of Punjab High Court Bench of Bahawalpur.
Ms Aneeqa Maria Akhtar Advocate, the Chief Coordinator of “The Voice” who won bail for Shamim Bibi after lengthy court battle in statement has said that Shamim Bibi is happy after uniting with her baby and husband.
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“The arguments in the Bahawalpur High court were itself a challenge where more than 50 lawyers were standing against us even the public prosecutor (Deputy Prosecutor General DPG) who also pleaded the punishment for Shamim Bibi in the High court along with the prosecution lawyer for insulting the holy Prophet and using derogatory remarks against Him. After the decision was announced the lawyers from the High court bar started gathering in the court and protested against the Judge’s decision but Justice Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi did not appeared in the court afterwards and we left the premises immediately after applying the copy of the judgment in the record Branch. we received the copy after 4:30pm although it was quiet dangerous for the staff of the Voice to enter the premises but thank God they stood consistently with me without fearing their lives and finally we left Bahawalpur at 5:30 pm on 31st Oct. the greatest challenge was ahead and that was the release of Shamim Bibi from Jail. We had to arrange the Bail bonds of 200,000.00 with two sureties’ i.e 4, 00,000:00 in Bahawalnagar where Shamim Bibi was confined. On 1st we arranged the bail-bonds and filed them in Bahawalnagar sessions court, the atmosphere was quiet tense and conservative in the court premises where every lawyer, court clerks and Court staff was against us. But we were succeeded in filing the bail-bonds and receiving the permission for the release of Shamim Bibi” told Aneeqa Maria advocate to PCP
Aneeqa Maria Advocate further narrated “Thanks God we reached back in the Middle of the night and were succeeded in uniting a family and saving the lives. I am thankful to all of the friends and the family members of us who prayed for us and due to which God helped us in reaching home safely. The trial of Shamim Bibi is at the stage of Evidence and the Additional Sessions Judge is of the View that the trial should be completed within two months and there is every apprehension that Shamim Bibi will be convicted and sentenced to death penalty from the sessions court because sessions Judge is gone very personal on the religious matter and he is himself of the view that she should be punished. Please help us in this situation and save the Family”
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