Christian couple acquitted of blasphemy leaves for Europe

ISLAMABAD: A Christian couple, who was recently acquitted of blasphemy charges by the Lahore High Court (LHC), has left Pakistan with four children after getting asylum in a European country with the complainant moving the Supreme Court against the decision.

“Finally, Shagufta Kausar and Shafqat Emmanuel along with their children left Pakistan,” Saiful Malook, the lawyer of the couple in their

appeal, announced a day before as he was in touch with the couple after the release. “I have not met the couple but spoke to them on phone a couple of times. They were happy and relieved after their acquittal and now are on their way to start a new life,” Mr Malook said. A two-member LHC bench while hearing their long pending appeal against the death sentence under Section 295 C of the Pakistan Penal Code awarded by a trial court had recently acquitted the couple of the charges and set aside their death sentence ordering their release.

The couple from Toba Tak Singh was arrested in 2013 for sharing some blasphemous content through their mobile phone, a charge that they denied since day one. The husband was arrested for sharing the content while the wife was arrested because the SIM used in the phone was registered on her name. The trial court had awarded the death sentence to the couple in April 2014. The appeal was decided on June 3 while a written judgment came two weeks later followed by their release.

The European Union Parliament in April end, in the backdrop of the case of this couple, had adopted a resolution demanding Pakistan to allow space for religious freedom and urged the EU authorities to review GSP plus status for Pakistan amid the increasing number of blasphemy cases.

The EU Parliament, in particular, had discussed the case of this Christian couple and also urged special medical care for Emmanuel, a special person.

Sources privy to the development said that the EU after the release had actively pursued the matter and remained in contact with the federal authorities and other circles in this regard.

The EU was concerned about the safety, security and protection of the couple.

The state authorities, soon after the release of the couple from the jail, took them into protective custody. The couple was was provided with a safe house in Lahore till they left Pakistan. A day ago, they boarded a plane for Europe amid tight security.

Their destination in Europe might be Belgium or the Netherlands, a person close to their family said.

On the other side, the complainant has challenged the decision of Lahore High Court.

Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry, the counsel for the complainant, in his appeal before the SC stated, “The LHC has failed to appreciate the facts and law of the case in their true perspective and drawn a wrong conclusion".

“We are not sure when the case will be taken up for preliminary hearing,” he said, adding, “However, in criminal appeals, if approved for arguments, law requires the presence of the couple in the court unless exempted on certain grounds presented by them through counsel.” He said though the couple is legally free and can go anywhere after the acquittal, in many cases it has been observed that the accused person(s) left the country even during the trial or on bail and got asylum in such countries, a matter which Chaudhry considers debatable and concerning for the authorities of the country in the wake of the sensitivity of this issue.