Asiya Bibi case hearing adjourned due to recusal of SC Judge

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court adjourned hearing of the Asiya Bibi appeal against death penalty on Thursday.

Justice Iqbal Hameed ur Rehman who was part of the larger bench recused to himself saying that he had earlier heard the Salman Taseer murder case.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan will form a new bench to hear the case.

The allegations against Bibi date back to June 2009, when she was labouring in a field and a row broke out with some Muslim women she was working with. They alleged her of blasphemy.

Bibi was sentenced to death by the High Court in 2010.

In 2011, provincial governor Salmaan Taseer, who spoke out in support of Bibi, was gunned down in broad daylight in Islamabad.