Asia Bibi's Family Remains in Hiding 5 Years after Blasphemy Accusations

Carrie Dedrick | Updated: Feb 04, 2015

Asia Bibi's Family Remains in Hiding 5 Years after Blasphemy Accusations

Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian woman who is imprisoned for blasphemy and has been sentenced to death, was accused of speaking against the prophet Muhammad nearly five years ago. According to Christian Today, Bibi’s family have been in hiding the ever since to avoid further persecution. 

Bibi’s husband Ashiq Massih said in an interview, "We get death threats. We can't stay in one place for very long.

"We live in hiding. It's very hard especially for the children. They can't settle down or study. It's not a normal life to be constantly living in fear."

One of Bibi’s daughters, Esham, was 9 years old when her mother was arrested. Esham spoke previously about the day her mother was accused of blasphemy. The young woman said that she received a warning from friends that her mother was being attacked. 

"I rushed to the spot and found that she was being abused and tortured by men. They had even torn her clothes,” she said. 

Esham recalls that she ran home to get a new dress for her mother and men began to torture her as well, using offensive language and dragging the mother and daughter to the village. 

"We were both crying but there was nobody to listen to us," Esham told the Daily Mail

Bibi’s husband Massih said that he was “terrified” to go to the scene and is now ashamed that he did not come. Still, he doubts that he would have been able to stop the torture. 

"I do not think it could have helped her or our family if I had tried to save her,” Massih said. "I might also have ended up in jail as a blasphemy-accused and there would be no one to help my daughters.” 

Publication date: February 4, 2015



Asia Bibi's Family Remains in Hiding 5 Years after Blasphemy Accusations