Are women equal to men in this country and are the minorities as safe as the media presents them to be? A 37-year-old woman from one of the many villages across the country is asking these questions as she awaits her destiny.
Aasya Bibi, a Christian by faith, convicted under article 295 C, does not really know. She does not know and she does not care. She is oblivious to what is perhaps her biggest line of defense.
All she knows is that she had a fight with the women in her village and harsh words were exchanged, that her two children need her, that she is a Pakistani and has a right to be protected by the law. Unfortunately for her, knowing that is not enough.
According to the National Commission on Justice and Peace (NCJP) of the Catholic Church, between 1986 and August 2009, at least 974 people have been charged for committing blasphemy. They include 479 Muslims, 340 Ahmadis, 119 Christians, 14 Hindus and 10 from other religions.
For Aasya, the media picked up her case. Still, the media, the civil society and the liberal polity combined dont have what it takes to peruse her case.
She got the headlines for a day or two and some coverage on the television channels but justice is far away. And for those who dare to question it: punishment awaits.
LAILA SOHAIL
Rawalpindi