ISLAMABAD: The lawyer who saved a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy from the gallows left the country on Saturday, saying his life was under threat.

Saiful Mulook`s latest victory saw the freeing of Aasia Bibi, who spent nearly a decade on death row, af ter the Supreme Court overturned her sentence on Wednesday.

The decision sparked protests across the country, with major roads blocked in Lahore and Islamabad.

`In this scenario, it`s not possible for me to live in Pakistan,` the 62-year-old said before boarding a plane to Europe early on Saturday morning.

`I need to stay alive as I still have to fight the legal battle for Aasia Bibi, he said.On Friday night, the Tehreek-iLabbaik Pakistan (TLP), which had largely led the demonstrations, announced an end to mass protests after reaching a deal with the government.

When asked about the protests, Mr Mulook said it was `unfortunate but not unexpected`.

`What`s painful is the response of the government. They cannot even implement an order of the country`s highest court,` he said, adding that `the struggle for justice must continue`.

According to the agreement reached between the TLP and the government, legal procee dings will follow to impose a travel ban on Aasia Bibi.

`Her life would be more or less the same, either inside a prison or in solitary confinement for security fears` until a decision on the appeal, said Mr Mulook.

Ashiq Masih slams deal Separately, the husband of AasiaBibi criticised the government`s deal with the T LP, and called on authorities to protect her.

`It is wrong to set a precedent in which you pile pressure onto the judiciary,` Ashig Masih told German Deutsche Welle radio.

He said the government should never have yielded to pressure from protesters.

Masih said the court had been `very courageous` to acquit his wife.

`The current situation is very dangerous for us. We have no security and are hiding here and there, frequently changing our location,` Masih said.

He demanded the government reinforce Aasia`s protection in prison, worrying that she might be attacked.

He cited the case of two Christian men who were shot dead after a court acquitted them in another blasphemy case.

`The situation is dangerous for Aasia.

I feel that her life is not secure,` he said.

`So I appeal to government to enhance Aasia`s security in jail.`-AFP