Daily Times

The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned a hearing of the final appeal against the execution of Asia Bibi, accused for blasphemy.

The hearing was adjourned after one of the three-member bench, Justice Iqbal Hamidur Rehman, recused on the grounds that he also heard the case of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer–who was assassinated by his guard for raising voice in favour of Asia Bibi.

A letter was written to the chief justice to appointment another judge to the bench.It is unclear when the hearing will resume.Asia Bibi, accused of blasphemy during an argument with a Muslim woman over a bowl of water, was convicted and sentenced to death in 2010 despite her advocates maintaining her innocence and insisting the accusers held grudges against her.

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.She was asked to fetch water, but the Muslim women objected, saying that as a non-Muslim she was unfit to touch the water bowl.

The women went to a local cleric and accused Bibi of blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), a charge punishable by death under legislation that rights groups say is routinely abused to settle personal vendettas.