Aasia Bibi's blasphemy conviction inconsistent with evidence submitted in court

Pakistani Christian woman Aasia Bibi's conviction for blasphemy is inconsistent with the evidence presented in the case and the appeal court will likely reduce her sentence, legal experts have said.

Punjab's Nankana Sahib additional district and sessions judge sentenced her to death on November 2010, finding her guilty of passing derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad.

According to the Express Tribune, the record of her trial shows that there were several holes in the prosecution's case.

The cracks include an extrajudicial confession, inconsistencies in the testimony of prosecution witnesses, and procedural errors on the part of the police.

Bibi's counsel SK Chaudhry said that the trial judge had passed his verdict on her alleged confession at a local assembly at the village near Nankana Sahib where she lived.

But even according to testimony from prosecution witnesses, this confession was made in a hostile atmosphere where Bibi feared for her life.

According to the report, the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court say that a blasphemy case cannot be registered until the district coordination officer or the district police officer authorises it.

However, SP Bokhari and Investigation Officer Muhammad Arshad both testified that they were not aware of this.

Bukhari, the former judge, said that the investigation of the case appeared not to have been carried out under guidelines issued by the Supreme Court and this strengthened Aasia Bibi's appeal.

Bibi was the only person to testify in her defence. She said that after she had fought with Mafia Bibi and Asma Bibi, two of the prosecution witnesses, they had conspired with Qari Muhammad Salam and got a false case registered against her, the report added.

She denied making any derogatory comments about the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).

According to the report, other legal experts have suggested that the trial court's handing out of the maximum sentence showed bias.