Following a wave of publicity and social media activism, the federal government fast-tracked the refugee status for Rahaf Mohammed — a young Saudi Arabian woman who denounced Islam and attempted to escape her abusive family.
True North was one of the first Canadian outlets to report on Rahaf’s harrowing journey.
This journey consisted of trying to find a country that would take her in before she was deported back to the Saudi regime.
Canada stepped up, and rescued this brave activist from certain death and the barbaric punishments of apostasy laws in Saudi Arabia.
But while many Canadians are patting themselves on the back for rescuing a young woman from repressive Sharia law, Canada has turned its back on another woman whose life is at risk due to cruel Sharia dictates.
One of those people is Asia Bibi, who has also made headlines in recent months.
As Candice Malcolm reports in the Toronto Sun, Bibi and her family are Pakistani Christians, and as a result, were continuously hounded by their community to convert to Islam.
Bibi was accused by an angry mob of blasphemy against Islam, which carries the death penalty in Pakistan.
In 2010 she was sentenced to hanging, a ruling that shocked many across the world.
Thankfully, the Supreme Court of Pakistan eventually acquitted her, yet in 2019, she still lives in fear of reprisals from hardline Islamists in Pakistan. She’s been released from prison, but has been ordered to remain in Pakistan in case of an appeal.
She lives in hiding and has received countless death threats.
Despite Canada originally making moves to grant her asylum, Asia remains in Pakistan with no asylum in sight.
Whether Canada will follow through and grant Asia Bibi asylum remains to be seen.
Candice Malcolm, in a recent Toronto Sun column, makes the arguement for why Asia Bibi should come to Canada.
“Her case highlights the very reason countries such as Canada have an asylum program — to protect individuals from cruel and unjust treatment while upholding our own values of freedom of speech, religious freedom and the rule of law.”
While Bibi is forced to remain in Pakistan, there are serious concerns for her safety if she stays in Pakistan.
Even her lawyer has fled Pakistan out of fear of vigilante reprisals.
Canada has a long history of granting protection to those in genuine fear of cruel and unjust punishments. Our generosity should be extended to protect Christians like Asia Bibi.
