70 British MPs urge PM May to offer asylum to Aasia Bibi

Nearly 70 members of the United Kingdom’s Parliament have written to British Prime Minister Theresa May, urging the UK to offer political asylum to Aasia Bibi – the Christian woman who was acquitted by the Supreme Court last month in Pakistan’s most high-profile blasphemy case.

Earlier, it was reported that the UK Foreign Office had asked the Home Department not to extend an offer of asylum to Aasia Bibi, out of fear for the safety of UK’s consular staff.

The initiative was taken by Member of the Parliament (MP) Atta-Ur-Rehman Chishti who has written that he met with Aasia’s husband and daughter in London ahead of the verdict and they had said that they were considering seeking asylum in the UK among other countries.

“UK must stand up to its moral obligation to do the right thing,” he wrote.

Authored letter supported by near 70 MPs/Lords to ?? Government PM @theresa_may calling on ?? to offer Asylum to Asia Bibi who has been acquitted of Blasphemy by ?? Supreme Court. ?? must stand up to its moral obligation to do the right thing. @acn_uk pic.twitter.com/J80JxlhKqI

— Rehman Chishti (@Rehman_Chishti) November 13, 2018

The letter titled Request to UK Government to offer asylum to Aasia Bibi and her family in the UK  asks the UK government to “provide asylum to Aasia Bibi and her family if and when a request is made through appropriate channels by taking into account the exceptional circumstances of this case” and adds that the decision to offer asylum will be in line with the UK’s own moral commitment to human rights and religious freedom.

It includes signatories MPs Rehman Chishti, Boris Johnson, Owen Paterson, Sammy Wilson, Jim Shannon, Richard Graham, David Drew, Stewart McDonald, Lord Astor and Baroness Nuala O’Loan among others.

Earlier, it was revealed the Pakistan foreign office is in talks with Canada for Aasia’s asylum.