The lawyer of the Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi wants to stay in the Netherlands, but does not want to apply for asylum himself. He wants the Netherlands to invite him to stay. Two MPs have passed on his request to Secretary of State Stef Blok.
Saiful Mulook stressed Tuesday that he had to leave everything in Pakistan because his life was in danger. He insists that an invitation comes from the Dutch government. ‘If the Netherlands can not help me, I’d rather go back to Pakistan to be murdered.’
As far as we know Bibi is currently still in prison. Pakistan’s Supreme Court denied her freedom from insulting the Prophet Muhammad, but according to Malook it usually takes about two weeks before someone is released after such a sentence.
Bibi, her lawyer, and both their families are not sure of their lives in Pakistan. Her acquittal led to intense protests. The radical Islamic group Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) wants Bibi to be executed after all and wishes the judges who grant their acquittal the same fate.