The former farm worker was sentenced to death after being accused of blasphemy after a dispute over a drink of water in the village fields, with Muslim women complaining that Bibi had touched their bucket.

She spent nine years on death row before the Supreme Court quashing her sentence last year. The ruling sparked country-wide protests by Islamic extremists and Bibi has been living in safe houses, with religious activists threatening to kill her.

Until now her location has been a closely guarded secret.

An account in Dawn, Pakistan’s leading newspaper describes a case where the witnesses for the prosecution could not make their stories line up.

The lawyer admitted that there were ‘some differences’ in the testimonies. “Differences? These are lies,” replied the Chief Justice.

“You blame us and say what kind of people are we [for acquitting Aasia] … look at yourself, what kind of accusation have you made? We took into account the sensitivity of the case, otherwise we would have put the witnesses in jail for their false testimonies.

“Are we liable to be murdered now that we have executed justice? Is this Islam?”

Justices of the Pakistan Supreme Court, like Bibi, have received death threats for throwing out the case.

The difference is that unlike Bibi they will not be leaving the country. Christians owe thanks to the Pakistani Justices and the government for Asia Bibi’s freedom.