Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lahore (Agenzia Fides) – Asia Bibi's family, lawyers, and Christian organizations that are protecting her are anxiously awaiting the date of the first hearing before the High Court of Lahore, where the appeal for her cause has been presented, Fides learns from sources close to her family.
The same sources report that the family of Asia has moved to Lahore for security reasons and specify the composition of the family, after the contradictory reports circulating in the media. Asia Bibi is 37 years old, is a Protestant Christian, and is married to Ashiq Masih. The couple has four children: three girls (Sidra, age 18; Esha, age 12, who is disabled; Eshum, age 10) and one boy.
She lived in the neighborhood "Chak 3" in the village of Ittanwali, not far from the city of Nankhana Sahib, east of Lahore, in the Province of Punjab. Chak 3 has only three Christian families and the village of Ittanwali, overall, has about 100 Christian families and 1,200 Muslim families. Nankhana Sahib is one of the few cities in Pakistan with an overwhelming Christian majority, more than 5 thousand Christian families. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 18/11/2010)
