Too Terrorised To Take Action: UK Denies Asylum To Pakistani Christian Woman Amid ‘Security Concerns’

On account of prospects of civil unrest, United Kingdom has denied asylum request of Asiya Bibi, a Christian woman from Pakistan, reports HuffPost UK.

Asiya Bibi, a Pakistani Christian had been on a death row for eight years. She had been accused of insulting the Islamic prophet and booked under blasphemy laws. She was recently acquitted by Pakistani Supreme Court after which the country is seeing large scale protests against the verdict.

In response to the outrage, Pakistani government has now agreed to ban Asiya from leaving the country while her lawyer, Saif Mulooq has already left Pakistan fearing radical Islamists.

Ashiq Masih, husband of Asiya has released a video message saying he too fears for his family’s safety. “I am requesting the Prime Minister of the UK help us and as far as possible grant us freedom,” he said.

Wilson Chowdhry, chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association, said Britain had not made a firm offer of asylum.

“I’ve been lead to believe that the UK government had concerns that her moving to the UK would cause security concerns and unrest among certain sections of the community and would also be a security threat to British embassies abroad which might be targeted by Islamist terrorists.

“Asia and her family have now decided to take up one of the offers for asylum from a western country,” he added.