IHC reserves decision on Mumtaz Qadri's appeal against death sentence
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ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday reserved its verdict on Mumtaz Qadri’s appeal against his death sentence in a case pertaining to the murder of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer.
A two-member bench of the IHC, comprising Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui and Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi, heard the appeal against Qadri's conviction.
During the hearing, Qadri's counsel Mian Nazir Akhtar contended that Pakistan is a Muslim country, not a western or a secular nation, adding that the Holy Quran is referred in order to resolve disputes between an individual and the state.
To this, Justice Shaukat remarked whether terming a sacred law as a black law would come under the domain of blasphemy. He further added that nothing could justify the murder of the victim.
Advocate General Mian Abdul Rauf, who was representing the federal government, said that any allegations against Taseer should have been proved in the court. He said there was no war of words between Qadri and the former Punjab governor, adding that the accused was not authorised in any way to take the law in his own hands.
Rauf further said that extra judicial killing is against the Constitution and law and added that Qadri's crime was known to all and therefore the court should dismiss his appeal.
The court subsequently reserved its decision on Qadri's death appeal.
Taseer was assassinated by his security guard associated with the Punjab Elite Force, Mumtaz Qadri, on Jan 4, 2011 at Kohsar Market in Islamabad because of the politician's vocal opposition to the country's harsh blasphemy laws.
Qadri was awarded the death sentence by an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Oct 2011.
Blasphemy is an extremely sensitive issue in Pakistan where 97 per cent of the population is Muslim and unproven claims regularly lead to mob violence.
Two high-profile politicians – Taseer and minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti – were murdered in 2011 after calling for reforms to the blasphemy law. The politicians also described the trial of Asia Bibi — a Christian woman who has been on death row since November 2010 after she was found guilty of making derogatory remarks about the Holy Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) during an argument with a Muslim woman as flawed.
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Comments (60) Closed
Feb 11, 2015 12:41pm
God save us from these self proclaimed Islam Champions!
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Feb 11, 2015 12:42pm
Hope JUSTICE is served and the Murderer is Hung soon enough.
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Feb 11, 2015 12:46pm
Hang him and make the day a public holiday so everyone can watch and celebrate
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Feb 11, 2015 12:46pm
Soon after the murder MQ confessed and wanted to be hanged. What happened then, what is law about murder in the country.
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Feb 11, 2015 12:47pm
It appears that this hero of legal fraternity is going to get concession and eventual release. This would be a shame and I wish that my fears do not get materialized. A cold blooded killer is a hero? It is a shock hard to handle.
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Feb 11, 2015 12:49pm
Dismiss his appeal. Why is he appealing after all?
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Feb 11, 2015 01:08pm
Judges have made it very clear that it was a murder of an innocent person who raised questions about the draconian blasphemy law. Words can not justify the action of Qadri. Time to hang him.
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Feb 11, 2015 01:22pm
There is no where mentioned regarding blasphemy law and unproven claims to death in Qur'an. However, it is clearly mentioned that in the death of an innocent life is the death of a whole Humanity. thus, if there are out there blind Muslims standing in favor of this Murder are advised to first learn Qur'an.
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Feb 11, 2015 01:23pm
@Nasir great idea.
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Feb 11, 2015 01:29pm
A test case for judiciary and justice.
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Feb 11, 2015 02:02pm
I'm against capital punishment; however, what Qadari has done in the last 4 years while in jail, he must be eliminated from the society as soon a possible. Instead of "tauba" of his crimes, he is instigating others to commit similar crimes.
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Feb 11, 2015 02:30pm
Why reserving the decision, does the court not have courage to reject the appeal.
Please forward the case to Army courts, he is a plain murderer and must be hanged to set an example for all those who use religious pretext for satisfying their thirst for blood.
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Feb 11, 2015 02:43pm
Let us hope the judicial system delivers.........and the government administrative system follows through.
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Feb 11, 2015 03:03pm
Blind justice in Pakistan is bound to ultimately set free any killer in the name of Islam provided the killer is not guilty of harming any personal of the military corporation of Pakistan or someone related to them.
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Feb 11, 2015 03:14pm
The verdict will decide what kind of future holds for our country.
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Feb 11, 2015 03:25pm
Well it may be upheld that he is person of unsound mind or a person certainly having no control over his conscious. Hence a mitigating circumstance and his sentence may be converted into life imprisonment.
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Feb 11, 2015 03:39pm
What does "judgement reserved" mean? I've never understood it. Does it means that the honourable judges have arrived at a decision but are choosing not to bring it on record because it may have wider implications?
If so, what happens with the appeal? Is it still pending with them (in perpetuity) or should be considered discharged?
If it is discharged, does Qadri walk to the gallows? If it is not so far discharged, does he continue in his state of comfortable "limbo"?
I'm just looking for some legal clarity here.
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Feb 11, 2015 03:41pm
Come on now show to the world that we are not cowards and that no one should take law in their own hands. Take this opportunity to restore faith on the civilian courts.
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Feb 11, 2015 03:45pm
This case is a test for PML-N resolve to fight extremism. I doubt Nawaz Sharif has guts to hang MQ following IHC dismissal of his appeal.
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Feb 11, 2015 03:50pm
Dear Dawn newspaper can you people remove picture of this person
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Feb 11, 2015 04:06pm
A cold blooded murderer is appealing for the mercy. Shameless fellow
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Feb 11, 2015 04:26pm
Qadri must be hanged at same place at which he murdered
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Feb 11, 2015 04:44pm
An East Panjab Minister went to the court in his officia car and his body guards and was sent to jail in a Police vehicle when the judge awarded him three years jail and a fine amounting to 11 Million in disproportionate income case justice done.
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Feb 11, 2015 04:46pm
It will be a historic decision. Execution of Qadri will be a turning point in the Judicial history of Pakistan. A chance to restore public confidence in our judiciary.
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Feb 11, 2015 04:47pm
Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah himself fought the case of Ghazai Alamdin. People should understand the difference between freedom of expression and hurting the religious sentiments of others
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Feb 11, 2015 04:59pm
@akkermans Thank you SIR. I cannot stand to see the picture of this Rascal.
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Feb 11, 2015 05:32pm
@jehanzeb He never defended the case himself. He was asked to stand as a counsel as per public prosecutor by the court. At that time, Alamdin has no one to represent him in the court.
He never made a single statement in the court to defend Alamdin's action. He just followed the instructions on behalf of the court and forwarded to Alamdin and his family.
In short, M.A Jinnah was facilitating the justice.
Get your fact straight otherwise you will not just ruin yourself but infect the young generation of our country as well.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:34pm
"Justice Shaukat remarked whether terming a "sacred law" as a black law would come under the domain of blasphemy" my humble to question to Honorable Justice is when a man made law can become a sacred law ?
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Feb 11, 2015 07:08pm
The bed rock for any human society anywhere in the world is the sanctity of life.
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Feb 11, 2015 07:11pm
What are they waiting for, it has been 4 years since ex governor was assassinated ? A self confessed killer turned into a hero in the jail, hand him over to military court, hang him & get over it.
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Feb 11, 2015 07:11pm
@jehanzeb I
Granted Quaid-e Azam fought the case of the blasphemer, but question is did the Quaid take the law into his own hands and shoot the blasphemer? Obviously, the answer is no.
Besides, here in this case Dr. Taseer had committed no crime of blasphemy, although eve if he had he was entitled to due process of law in an open court of this country which does have blasphemy laws albeit very draconian.
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Feb 11, 2015 07:22pm
this is a test case for independence of judiciary of Pakistan it will proof judiciary cannot be threatened by extremist element.
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Feb 11, 2015 07:42pm
An athiest killed three Muslims in Carolina yesterday ---he surrendered.
How can Muslims ask for justice there , when courts in Pakistan are not able to deliver justice here , what ever the reason may be ( threats to courts or no threats )
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Feb 11, 2015 08:36pm
In Feb. 2012, girls queued outside the jail to hand over Valentines Day cards to MQ. His representative accepted them while condemning this "unislamic" practice. Surely hypocrisy has no bounds.
It is that time of year again.
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Feb 11, 2015 08:41pm
This case amply demonstrates the failure of Pakistan as a state.
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Feb 11, 2015 09:13pm
justice delayed is justice denied. This is the very reason military courts are created. I believe some law experts were questioning the military court creation. Some one will do the job if you will not.
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Feb 11, 2015 09:15pm
Thanks Dawn for following this case closely. Let's make this case a lesson for rest of the society and for the defenders of the religion that they can not be judge in all the blasphemy cases when a free and fair judicial system exist in the country.
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Feb 11, 2015 09:40pm
"Qadri's counsel Mian Nazir Akhtar contended that Pakistan is a Muslim country...'. Those who claim to be champions of Islam forget that punishment for murder in Islam is death. I don't understand why dont they apply Islamic teachings to themselves.
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Feb 11, 2015 09:50pm
Extra judicial killing can never be tolerated in any religion, constitution and civilisation. If Qadri is let off then it will send a very wrong message for everyone to kill at will.
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Feb 11, 2015 10:52pm
Justice should be done according to the law.
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Feb 11, 2015 11:22pm
@Sophocles Reserved decision is a legal term. After the hearing of a trial or the argument of a motion judge might not immediately deliver a decision, but instead take time to review evidence and the law and deliver a decision at a later time, usually in a written form.
It is a more thought out decision compared to extempore where a judge hands down a decision of a case soon or right after a hearing.
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Feb 11, 2015 11:26pm
If the appeal is upheld it could mean a free pass for all to kill anyone they please at any time.
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Feb 12, 2015 12:22am
There is no justification whatsoever for Qadri's appeal to succeed. He must be hanged for his crime and soon
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Feb 12, 2015 01:31am
Criminal without any doubt
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Feb 12, 2015 02:16am
Why this case would not transfer to Military Courts?
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Feb 12, 2015 02:21am
@Hassan Nasir agreee
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Feb 12, 2015 03:22am
@Mirza Mirza test case for judicery only, justice will be done in any case now or when the end come near,,, God anyway knows what is right and what is wrong and he doesnot reserve is decision,,
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Feb 12, 2015 03:33am
By killing an innocent person, Qadri thought he had bought a one-way ticket to the heaven. Please don’t not delay his departure. Or has he changed his mind?
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Feb 12, 2015 03:35am
Any decision by this court with Justice Shaukat Siddique will be contravercial and bias in this case. Justice Siddique is the man who kissed and honored the killer Mumtaz Qadri with flowers when he killed Salman Taseer, it is impossible to get a fair decision from this man.
I am really surprised that Chief Justice never took notice of such a serious matter thus leaving himself open for criticism.
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Feb 12, 2015 03:48am
@Z khan in Pakistan's case, this means the judge leaves the decision pending until he or she determine which party bids the highest to have the decision in their favour. This case is black and white, yet they still dither over it (or at least pretend to)!
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Feb 12, 2015 05:43am
He feels no remorse in killing but does not want to be executed. What a joker!
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Feb 12, 2015 05:52am
@jehanzeb
And you, sir, need to understand the difference between cold-blooded murder by a man and the studied dispensation of justice by a court!
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Feb 12, 2015 05:53am
@muhammad
The blasphemy law is indeed a man-made law - and is never mentioned in the quran
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Feb 12, 2015 06:08am
@muhammad
The sacred law that Justice Shaukat is referring to is the Holy Quran, to resolve disputes between individual and state.
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Feb 12, 2015 06:39am
"Pride cometh before a fall."
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Feb 12, 2015 06:46am
@karachi Wally
The survival of the beast is the law of the jungle. In the ancient world the patriarch with the biggest, strongest sons ruled the tribe and the tribes joined the conquering armies. This strong arm murderer is a throwback to prehistoric times. He was no doubt the bully of the school yard.
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Feb 12, 2015 06:49am
@think_then_speak
These same lawyers will be out of business if sharia law makes them redundant.
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Feb 12, 2015 08:23am
Pls send him to the gallows first. And let him see what on the other side is waiting for him. Alamdin never wanted to be safed. Here Qadri Sb having doubt what waits for him on the otherside.
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Feb 12, 2015 09:03am
Just give me one instance from the whole life span of the Holy Prophet SAW, wherein he has punished any blasphemer, while so many examples of blasphemy could be courted in his life time, so blasphemy law has no place in Islam.
Sent this case to Military court as IHC might not face Public Pressure that has made a criminal as Hero. Let Justice be done by the Military courts and without fail Mumtaz Qadri be hanged and as such the Nation may not face so called more Hero like Mumtaz Qadri
Zarif Ahmad
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Feb 12, 2015 10:39pm
Justice should prevail.
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