Jemima Goldsmith | Photo Credit: Twitter

Islamabad: Jemima Goldsmith, British heiress and former wife of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, on Sunday took to Twitter to slam the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for “caving in” to extremists’ demands to stop Asia Bibi from leaving the country. Asia, a Christian farm labourer, was on Wednesday acquitted by Pakistan’s Supreme Court in connection with a blasphemy case, triggering massive protests by hardliners, targeting the judiciary, government and the Army.

Asia Bibi had been on a death row since the last eight years after she was falsely accused of insulting Prophet Mohammad. The case dates back to 2009 when Asia, who is a mother of five, got involved in a heated argument with two Muslim women after she drank from the same cup which had been used by a Muslim, after which she was accused of insulting the Prophet. She was charged under Pakistan’s strict blasphemy law which carries death as punishment.

On Sunday, Goldsmith criticised the Pakistan government for giving in to the hardliners, just three days after the Pakistan PM had delivered a “brave and defiant” speech, defending the judiciary and warning the protesters for a government clampdown if they continued to create unrest in the country,

Not the Naya Pakistan we’d hoped for. 3 days after a defiant & brave speech defending the judiciary, Pakistan’s gov caves in to extremist demands to bar #AsiaBibi from leaving Pak, after she was acquitted of blasphemy- effectively signing her death warrant https://t.co/YwUpRM8cnu — Jemima Goldsmith (@Jemima_Khan) November 3, 2018

In her tweet, Goldsmith said, "Not the Naya Pakistan we’d hoped for. 3 days after a defiant & brave speech defending the judiciary, Pakistan’s gov caves in to extremist demands to bar #AsiaBibi from leaving Pak, after she was acquitted of blasphemy- effectively signing her death warrant." In another tweet, she added, “Still hoping there’s some plan afoot which we don’t know about.”

The anti-blasphemy group, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, had staged massive sit-ins across the country, and had carried out blockades on arterial roads in the country, demanding that Asia should be hanged to death despite SC verdict to acquit her. On Friday night, the government signed an agreement with the TLP, promising that they would take prompt action to place Asia Bibi's name on Exit Control List, which would prevent her from leaving the country – a move that many analysts believe has sealed the “death warrant” against the Christian woman.

On the other hand, the TLP promised to bring an end to the protests, however, they made the government guarantee that it would not oppose a review petition which would be filed against Asia’s acquittal.

