The husband of Asia Bibi, a
Pakistani Christian woman condemned to death by hanging for
blasphemy eight years ago but recently acquitted by the Supreme
Court, but who cannot leave the country because of
fundamentalist Islamic protests, on Tuesday appealed to Italy
for help in getting out of Pakistan.
"I ask the Italian government and make an appeal: help us get
out of Pakistan, me and my family, because we are in danger".
Ashiq Masih made his appeal in a video message to the Aiuto
all Chiesa che Soffre (Help A Suffering Church) group.
Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said in reply that the
government was working with other western countries "with
discretion" to help Bibi and her family leave Pakistan.
"We are working on it with other western countries, with
discretion to avert problems on the ground for the family that
wants to have a future," he said.
"I can assure you that I, as a minister but also as a League
member, care that woman and children who risk their lives should
have a future".
As well as being interior minister, Salvini is deputy premier
and leader of the anti-migrant Euroskeptic League party, one of
the two government partners along with he anti-establishment
5-Star Movement (M5S) of the other deputy premier, Labour and
Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio.
Bini is a mother of five.
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