LONDON – Days after the UK reportedly denied asylum to Asia Bibi, it has emerged that the country’s foreign office has allegedly urged the Home Office not to provide sanctuary in Britain to Bibi due to potential threats to the safety of UK consular staff, according to a foreign media outlet.
Bibi, who was recently acquitted by the Supreme Court in a blasphemy case, is seeking asylum owning to threats to her life in Pakistan.
After the acquittal of the 53-year-old lady, religious parties took to the street against the verdict, bringing the multiple cities of Pakistan to a standstill.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/uk-denies-asylum-to-asia-bibi-as-security-concerns-grow-report/
The protests came to an end after the Pakistan government and the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) reached an agreement. A point in the five-point deal states, “A review petition, which is the right the complainant, will be filed against her acquittal and the government will not oppose it”.
She was released from the jail last week and currently in protective custody in an undisclosed location in Islamabad.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/70-british-mps-push-theresa-may-for-asia-bibis-asylum/
Her husband, Ashiq Masih, has moved Britain, Canada, Italy and the US for the help but the UK high commissioner in Islamabad is reported to have warned he could not protect his staff if asylum was granted by the UK, The Guardian reported.
It added that Tom Tugendhat, the foreign affairs select committee chair, asked the Foreign Office permanent secretary, Sir Simon McDonald, whether the episode “does not raise the question that either staff should be withdrawn or security increased or otherwise UK policy is effectively dictated to by a mob?”.
Tugendhat held a private session with committee after McDonald said he did not wish make the evidence public on a such a sensitive matter.
The permanent secretary of the foreign office said that the UK was looking for a third country to take the Christian woman, saying this move would enable the UK to attain its objectives without putting its staff into danger.
Tugendhat said the UK’s action represented “one of the clearest examples of free conscience being challenged today,” the daily reported.
McDonald said the Britain’s ties with Pakistan relationship hold significance for both countries.
The Pakistan foreign office confirmed on Tuesday that it was in talks with Canada over granting asylum to Asia Bibi.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/canada-engaging-pakistan-for-asia-bibis-asylum-confirms-pm-justin-trudeau/
The FO statement came after Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau said that his government was in consultation with Pakistan over offering asylum to Asia Bibi who was freed from prison after the supreme court granted her acquittal
In a recent interview, Trudeau expressed that there was a delicate domestic context that Canda respects, which is why ‘I don’t want to say any more about that, but I will remind people Canada is a welcoming country,’.
