PAKISTAN: Supreme Court adjourns hearing of Asia Bibi case

PAKISTAN: Supreme Court adjourns hearing of Asia Bibi case

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The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned a hearing of the closing appeal against the execution of Asia Bibi, accused for blasphemy.

The hearing was adjourned after among the three-member bench, Justice Iqbal Hamid-ur-Rehman, recused on the grounds that he heard the Salman Taseer case.

A letter was written to the chief justice to appointment another judge.

It really is not clear when the hearing will resume.

Asia Bibi, accused of insulting the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) during an argument with a Muslim woman over a bowl of water, was convicted and sentenced to death in 2010 despite her supporters maintaining her innocence and insisting the accusers held grudges against her.

The claims against Bibi date back to June 2009, a row broke out with some Muslim girls she was working and when she was labouring in a field with.

She was asked to get water, but the Muslim women objected, saying that as a non-Muslim she was not fit to touch the water bowl.

The girls went to a local cleric and accused Bibi of blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), a charge punishable by death under laws that rights groups say is habitually abused to settle personal vendettas.