ASIA Bibi, the Christian woman acquitted after eight years on death row for blasphemy, has been but her whereabouts in Islamabad remain secret after demands by radical Islamists that she be publicly executed.
Bibi was with her family and under heavy security after being transferred to the Pakistani capital overnight from a detention facility in southern Punjab.
The European Parliament has made an offer to protect her family but she remains in Pakistan, according to two people who are close to her.
Bibi left the Punjab facility amid tight security late on Wednesday and was flown to Islamabad. Troops guarded the roads leading to the airport from which she departed.
Information minister Fawad Chaudhry confirmed later yesterday that Bibi was still in Pakistan.
Radical Islamists demanded her death as well as the death of the three Supreme Court judges who acquitted her last week.
Following her acquittal, the hardline Tehreek-e-Labbaik Party forced a country-wide shut down as their supporters took to the streets for three days to protest. Scores of protesters were arrested for damaging vehicles and property during the rallies, and bank accounts of some of the leaders of the party were reportedly frozen.
The rallies only dispersed after the government promised a court would review a motion to challenge the acquittal and deny Bibi permission to leave Pakistan.
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