SC to hear review plea over Aasia acquittal on Jan 29

Khudayar Mohla –
Finally the Supreme Court has decided on Thursday to take up review petition against the acquittal of Aasia Bibi in blasphemy case on January 29.
Court roster for January 29 revealed that a three-member special bench led by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and comprising Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan shall hear the review petition.
Trial court awarded death sentence to Aasia Bibi over alleged committing blasphemy in 2010 and Lahore Lahore High Court upheld the Trial court’s verdict in 2014.
Taking up appeal of Aasia Bibi on October 30 last year a three-member bench of the then Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel overturned the conviction saying “The prosecution has categorically failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt”.
It is pertinent to mention that the acquittal had sparked three-day-long mass protests led by the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) who was arrested during 2018. On January 23,2019, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has sent Rizvi and four others to jail on a 14-day judicial remand.
Filing review petition in the matter on November 1, 2018 in Lahore registry of the apex court, Qari Salaam urged the Court to revisit its decision in addition to placing Aasia Bibi name on the Exit Control List (ECL) till final decision of the review petition