Thirudan
Novice Sprinter
Death row Christian Asia Bibi allowed to leave Pakistan after blasphemy acquittal upheld
The mother-of-five is free after eight years in prison over an argument with Muslim women about drinking from a bucket of water.
Death row Christian Asia Bibi is allowed to leave Pakistan after the country's top court upheld her acquittal on blasphemy charges.
Ms Bibi, who spent eight years on death row, will now be free to join her daughters who fled to Canada and were granted asylum there.
The 54-year-old was acquitted in October - eight years after she was convicted for allegedly insulting the Prophet Muhammad in a dispute with her neighbours.
But she has remained under guard at a secret place since her acquittal as Prime Minister Imran Khan's government attempted to quell anger over her exoneration by radical Islamists, who staged nationwide protests and almost brought the capital Islamabad to a standstill.
More than 3,000 members of the radical Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) group were arrested on charges of terrorism after the protest, with its leader and high profile members still in prison.
Pakistani activists of the Islamic Jamiat-e-Ittihad ul Ulema party chant slogans during a protest after Ms Bibi's initial acquittal
This afternoon, three members of the Supreme Court of Pakistan dismissed their appeal against Ms Bibi's acquittal.
Heavy security surrounded the court as the verdict was due, with paramilitary troops and quick response units deployed in sensitive areas in the capital.
The leaders of the TLP had rejected the court's review bench and threatened protests if Ms Bibi was set free. They demanded a larger bench with Sharia court judges to review the case.
"I am really grateful to everybody, now after nine years it is confirmed that I am free and I will be going to hug my daughters," a friend quoted Bibi as saying after she watched the verdict on TV.
Ms Bibi's lawyer, Saiful Malook, who returned to Islamabad after fleeing the country amid death threats, called the decision a victory for Pakistan's constitution and rule of law.
Pakistani lawyer Saiful Mulook (C) fled Pakistan during protests
The judging panel had "insisted on very strict proofs of blasphemy" and found none, he said.
Ms Bibi was accused by three women who had an argument with her over fetching water at the farm they worked at in June 2009 - refusing to drink from a bucket she had touched because she was not Muslim.
They went to the local court and accused her of blasphemy, for which she was charged and found guilty of.
The case has garnered attention from around the world, with the Vatican calling for her release after Pope Francis met her husband, Ashiq Masih, and daughter last year.
Mr Masih asked the leaders of the UK, the US and Canada to give his family asylum, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau granting it at the end of last year.