UN welcomes SC?s ruling to overturn Asia Bibi's death sentence

UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations on Wednesday  welcomed Pakistan’s Supreme Court decision to acquit Asia Bibi after accepting an appeal against  her sentence.Asia Bibi was convicted  and sentenced to hang in 2010 after being accused of blasphemy. On Wednesday, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar overturned her conviction, ordering her to be freed if she was not accused of any other crime.Responding to a question at the regular noon briefing in New York, UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said the world body has a “standard policy” against imposition of death penalty.“In line with that policy, we welcome the decision of Pakistan’s Supreme Court,” he added. Beyond that, Farhan Haq said he had no comments.Meanwhile, leading rights groups also welcomed the Supreme Court's verdict  to acquit Asia Bibi. On the other hand, some religious parties have launched countrywide protests, against the acquittal of Asia Bibi, swarming  the streets in all major cities, including Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi where key roads were closed down.

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