NEW YORK – The United Nations has rejected the claims made by Saiful Mulook, a lawyer who saved Asia Bibi from the death penalty in a blasphemy case, that it had made him leave Pakistan.
The response from the UN came after Mulook, who fled to the Netherlands after religious parties took to the streets against the acquittal of the accused by the Supreme Court, addressing a press conference in The Hague said that the UN and EU forced him to leave the country.
UN spokesperson Eri Kaneko denying the claims explained: “The UN in Pakistan extended its assistance to Mr. Mulook at his request and did not force him to leave the country against his wishes, nor can the UN force someone to leave Pakistan against his or her will.”
On Tuesday, Saiful Mulook revealed that the UN and EU made him leave the country against his wishes due to threats to his life.
This was in contradiction with his previous statement during a press conference in The Hague as earlier he had said that in the current scenario, it was not possible for him to live in Pakistan.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/asia-bibis-lawyer-leaves-pakistan-amid-life-threats/
After violent protests erupted following the acquittal of Asia Bibi by the Supreme Court in a blasphemy case, Malook said he contacted an official of the UN in Islamabad.
“And then they (the UN) and the European nation ambassadors in Islamabad, they kept me for three days and then put me on a plane to leave Pakistan against my wishes,” the lawyer said.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/tlp-protests-sparked-after-sc-overturns-asia-bibis-death-sentence/
Malook said he tried to convince them that he did not want to leave the country unless Asia is freed from the jail, adding, “I am not happy to be here without her, but everybody said that my life is in danger at that time and the whole world is taking care of the Bibi, who was awarded death sentence in 2010 over blasphemy charges.
“For three days they did not let me open the door, one day I called the French ambassador and said I do not want to be here,” the lawyer said.
Saif-ul-Malook reached The Hague on Saturday with the assistance of the HVC Foundation, a Dutch group that works for the human rights of Christian minorities in the world.
Commenting on the agreement between the government and the religious protesters, he termed it a face-saving deal, adding that Asia will be released soon.
