Eight years after being convicted, the Supreme Court will finally hear Aasia Bibi’s appeal against her execution. Accused of blasphemy in 2010, Aasia Bibi of Sheikhupura has been languishing behind bars with an uncertain fate. In the meantime, the controversy surrounding her case has attracted murder, extremist campaigns, domestic activism and international criticism. Today, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, with Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel as members, will hear her last appeal. This hearing was scheduled for October 2016, but was delayed as Justice Hameed ur Rahman recused himself from the bench. In April 2018, CJP announced that he himself would be presiding over the bench, and will settle the case once and for all. Justice Khosa has heard blasphemy related cases in the past and he also confirmed Mumtaz Qadri’s death penalty for murdering Governor Salmaan Taseer. Aasia Bibi has become a symbol of all that happens to religious minorities where class and prejudice intersect and a dysfunctional justice system is unable to protect Pakistan’s non-Muslim citizens. Therefore, the verdict on Aasia Bibi’s case will have a monumental impact in shaping national discourse on blasphemy, death penalty and proliferation of extremist ideologies. Pakistan’s battle with its intolerant citizens has marred its image at home and in the international community. Moreover, it carries dark implications for the fate of minorities, and those groups vulnerable to slanderous campaigns by right-wing Islamists. As the application of blasphemy law in Pakistan becomes increasingly prevalent, the minorities have felt more and more insecure. Due to a recent return of extremist narratives, there has been an upsurge in blasphemy accusations across the country. Subsequently, extra-judicial violence against blasphemy suspects has also increased. The case of Mashal Khan last year is a chilling reminder of how allegations of blasphemy lead to mob violence. The good thing is that no court in Pakistan has actually carried out a death sentence for blasphemy. We hope this precedent continues. It is time that the courts act as bulwarks against injustice and violence perpetrated in the name of faith. The course of Pakistan’s history may change today. In recent months, tolerance, justice, equality and freedom of expression have evaded Pakistan’s religious minorities. After the Khadim Rizvi fiasco at Faizabad, the removal of Atif Mian from the Economic Advisory Council, the country needs to reset its direction. We hope that today some of this darkness will go away. * Published in Daily Times, September 8th 2018.