ISLAMABAD, Jan 24 (INP): The Supreme Court on Thursday fixed a review petition against its verdict acquitting Aasia Bibi in a blasphemy case.

The case will be heard by a three-member bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and comprising Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel on January 29.

In October 2018, the apex court had acquitted Bibi off blasphemy charges. The 56-page verdict set aside the Lahore High Court (LHC) verdict and directed authorities to release Aasia Bibi from prison.

[timed-content-server show="01/25/2019 01:00 Asia/Karachi"]The decision sparked countrywide demonstrations with protesters, led by Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP), threatening the state, army and judiciary. Case history The 51-year-old Christian woman was on the death row since November 2010 after she was convicted on charges of committing blasphemy during an argument with two Muslim women in Sheikhupura. Her case gained prominence after then Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer pleaded for a retrial of her case and was subsequently shot dead by one of his guards, Mumtaz Qadri, in January 2011. Bibi challenged the verdict in October 2014, however, the LHC upheld the death sentence. The apex court had stayed the execution in July 2015. After a three-year hiatus, a three-judge special bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, and comprising Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel, heard the appeal. The hearing lasted nearly two hours and 45 minutes, during which both the prosecution and defence presented their points of view over the conviction. Members of civil society, including veteran politician Farhatullah Babar, were in attendance during the proceeding. Unlike previous hearings, a few religious clerics were present inside and outside the courtroom. The bench restrained the media from discussing, publishing or airing any comment about the proceedings till the announcement of the judgment. During the hearing, the bench pointed out several discrepancies in the statements of the prosecution and the witnesses. INP/AJ[/timed-content-server]