Those present demanded the immediate release of Qadri, who murdered Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer in January. Protestors also pleaded with Presidant Asif Zardari to pardon Qadri, who they said was not an assassin but a “soldier of Islam … defending the ideology of Pakistan.”
In Lahore, on the call of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), a partial strike was observed in the city. Shops on Ferozepur Road, Queens Road, The Mall and Hall Roads were closed. More than 2,000 protesters chanted slogans in favour of Qadri and against the Punjab government and the judge who sentenced him.
(Read: Qadri supporters stage Mall sit-in)
SIC chairman Haji Fazal Kareem, addressing the protesters, said that they would continue protesting until the release of Qadri. He also urged the participants not to be afraid of any government action in this “noble cause”, before asking the crowd to promise to make Pakistan a pure Islamic state.
Bahawalpur also saw different religious organisations and political parties, including Sunni Tehrik and Jamat-e-Islami, protest against the sentence. In the Hazara Division there was also a partial strike.
In Islamabad’s Aabpara intersection, about 1,000 people reportedly protested; Rawalpindi saw the closure of markets and road blockages.
A few pockets of Karachi were closed, though the strike failed to shut shops and businesses in most parts of the city.
Qadri Judge to be transferred
Lahore High Court Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry has issued a transfer order for District and Sessions Judge Pervez Ali Shah, who was already on leave, after he sentenced Mumtaz Qadri to death for the murder of Salmaan Taseer. The chief justice has posted Shah from an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi to the Child Protection Court Lahore.
(With additional reporting from Karachi, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Multan)
Published in The Express Tribune, October 8th, 2011.
COMMENTS (98)
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The entire case of the alleged killing is concerned with the issue of blasphemy. Therefore, I suggest that the Federal Shariah Court should decide on this case, rather than any other court (the sessions court in this case).
Express Tribune may well undertake a survey in Pakistan in different cities and different group of people to ask, "Is Mumtaz a murderer or an apostle of Islam"? It should be an interesting study.
Is Salman Taseer's son found and alive?
@Arif: he has murdered a human being, so he shall be hanged. He is not innocent in any way, he tried to take the law in his hand and caused fisad fil arz.
another thing, Sulman Taseer just called blashphamy law wrong (no doubt he was wrong) but Qadri sb has abused the law by acting totally against that law as it is clearly mentioned in that law that ruling must come from a session presided by a muslim judge, and we all know Mumtaz Qadri was not a judge hence not in the position to take decision.
All these Islamic parties who are chanting the slogans for Qadri's release , where on earth they were busy earlier and didn't challenged Sulman Taseer in the court as described by the Blasphamy Law( jiski Muhabat me Qadri ne jan li he)
@antanu: those types of things are happening everyday in your country,how long will u hold us on that yardstick.
Hey all of u people are forgetting that is only a couple thou protesting they r not representing the whole population infact if u sample it they'll be negligible even the neo-nazi parties in Europe are able to gather a few hundred it don't mean that every one supports them
Let the protest leaders hang themselves at the appointed hour, alongwith Qadri. This will show their 'solidarity' with Qadri and also entitle them for their just rewards.
Justice should be done though the heavens may fall - he killed a man, he ought to be hanged.
@ Mullah Omar Please get a life -People aren't scared of you and your gang any more-
This is a strong nation -We won't let a self-declared righteous bigot to stay a live and infect others- He is going to pay for his crime soon... you'll watch it for your own self!!!!!
Evil mongers, divided in every which way, unite only to promote evil like the kuffar-e-Makkah 1,400 years ago!
@Faction
You will be surprised to know the truth. Islamic scriptures (Quran and Hadith) put together support capital punishment for blasphemy and apostasy. Please do your independent research. Many new communities (Quranists - who follow only Quran and reject everything else and then re-contexualize) and Re-interpreters (who are trying their level best to reinterpret and re-reinterpret) are trying their level best.
O God please help the brave man who gave decision against the murderer. Jahalat ki inteha.
Ban all religious parties ... or else these lunatics will start killing anyone who doesnt agree with them and next day religious parties ll rally in their favor.
How can there be confusion on such a straight forward point of whether this murder was justified under Islamic law? Are there no civilized Muslim authorities who can clearly refute the extremist position using the historic sources?
Molvis are misleading innocent people. No one should have the rules in hands.This is the wake up call for the state actors.
I ask these people did the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) kill the lady who threw garbage on him every single day? The very essence of Islam is tolerance which is apparently in short supply in our country.
If there was justice in this country, this rascal would have been hung in public within a week after he murdered the man he was deputed to protect.
This is not my Pakistan.
Hang him before it's too late
@Arif: please explain your comment. are you saying what qadri did was right?? if you are than you have not read the holy book and what it says about taking a life..
I am glad that it was only 1000 people, and not tens of thousands. No bombs or terrorist attacks. The example is the Prophet (peace be upon him), who never reacted to anyone who yelled, screamed, cursed or spat at him. And we have these imbeciles who think they are the saviors of Islam. The true Momin is one who can listen to blasphemy with his head raised high and reply, "that's the best you got. May Allah have mercy on your soul." And move on....
When your stomachs are starving, people feed your minds with garbage.
Qadri is no different then OBL, these are the people who made Islam a religious of hatred. These people who are chanting Allah Akbar, do they understand what that means? I don't think any one in that crowd understands Islam, this is a tragedy. These so called lawyers, who destroyed the judge's office the other day, who are these people, what a shame, and where is the law, where is CJ? what is going on, how many more people have to die till someone take action? This is the Islam Taliban brought in, we don't live in caves anymore, if you want to live in a stone-age go somewhere else, and do whatever you want to do, if you want to live in this country, obey the law. Islam teaches me peace, harmony, tolerance, and respect human being, and obey the law, if your Islam teaches you something different then lets talk.
@Ali Tanoli: "Great man Qadri"
Not at all surprised by your comment. I know your lot well. Violence is in your DNA. Why don't you finish up the good work initiated by your hero Qadri? Go ahead and exterminate the 1% minorities left in Pakistan and the few courageous people like Taseer who defend them?
I am sad to read this in The Express Tribune. The story itself states that there were a thousand protesters in Islamabad. Only a thousand protesters and such coverage in an important newspaper? I think that the media in our country must act more responsibly and not give coverage to such events. It is this very publicity that these misguided people seek and the media is serving them front page coverage on a platter. Please act responsibly and do your bit in such matters. Others get encouraged by such negative publicity. This is shameful and must be stopped at once.
About 1,000 protesters in Islamabad. Wowwwwwwwwwwwww, what an amazing and powerful show of power? Is it difficult to gather a mob of 1,000 crazy guys in the capital city of a country of 180 million people? Well, the unfortunate reality of the whole scenario is that moderate people are keeping silent and they dont come up with a peaceful procession of 2,000 people to condemn extremism, lawlessness and mentally retarded behaviour of religious leaders. Moreover, the saner voices among the clergy are also silent and the duty of interpretition of Islam has been bestowed to messengers of doom and gloom.
These cave men DO NOT represent anyone but murderers. The killer of Governor Punjab will be punished in due time. Make no mistake about it. He deserves to be locked up for the rest of his life never to see day light. Majority of the 180 million Pakistani's do not support such miniscule monsters. There are plenty of mad right wing fundamentalists in every society and country on the face of the earth. Send Drones on them !
all JAHILS are together n shouting without knowing ISLAM in real, Qadri is a killer n Islam says give punishment to the killers...
death sentencing should be abolished . he should be given life sentence. no one has a right to kill anyone on the grounds of race, religion, gender or even views. This guy had no right to take salman taseer's life.
@blacksheep:
It already disintegerated in 1971 due to Mullah's inteference in the former East Pakistan.
Religous parties are now banned in Bangladesh.
Hina
@Hussain:
Dear brother Hussain, can you please give me exact number of "Hoors" (virgins), anxiously waiting for Qadri in Heaven. Why authorities are delaying his departure to "heaven"?
People in Canada much often ask do muslims really get "virgins" in heaven after killing fellow being. I have no answer to their question but can certainly pass them on with the exact number of Hoors if you could please verify the figure of 70 and their age becasue it is the age that counts. If extremists come to know that they would be served with 80-years old "Hoor" in heaven then they would never dare to kill human being in exchange of "Hoor".
I am personally of the view that it would be quite difficult for Qadri to satisfy more than two "Hoors" at a time so eventually he will have to shift some "Hoors" on this planet and being a Primary care doctor in Canada, I would suggest Qadri to proceed Heaven with a bulk supply of "Cialis 20 MG", Viagra of the same strength, preferably some heavy doses of Levitra as well. But make sure they are not spurious as much often those medicines are freely available in Pakistani medicine market, specially around Lohari Gate and Paan Gali.
Hina Mussarat MD Primary Care Physician, Vancouver, Canada.
When Bal Thakeray, after killing hundreds/thousands of innocent muslims and demolishing the Babri Masjid through his Shiv Sainiks, is still enjoying a luxurious life in India, with no court sentences against him, then why must Qadri be punished in Pakistan for killing only one man who openly flouted the rules of Pakistan despite being in a responsible and senior poistion.
Indians commenting here should first have Bal Thakeray hanged for his crimes against muslims and Babri masjid, before commenting here and worrying about Qadri!!
Good sign that democracy is working in Pakistan. Now all of the above who disagree with the protests that are happening ( about a thousand ) should all come out onto the street in their HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS for a peacefull protest for the courts verdict to be recognised.
all these people asking for release of Qadri should be bombed and shot as they represt the extremist and most terrorst element of our society. A danger to Pakistan and the rest of the world.
Hang the fanatic.
@Cycloneous: All the guns are with these religious thugs and peaceful muslims are just hostages without any power. May be some day peaceful muslims will be fedup with status quo and take up arms to eliminate these animals.
i will be the first Pakistani to leave Pakistan if court orders the release or bail of this animal
It is the Renaissance of Islam challenging the West to quits its conspiracies!!!
70 hurein are waiting for him. He still wana live in this ugly world.
people like him will demand this, but according to Islamic law, he should go to hell with immediate effects,
Salman Taseer DIDNOT commit blasphemy; Qadri is a murderer by all definitions. Those protesting in favor of him; OPEN YOUR EYES!!
Mumtaz Qadri himself insults Blasphamy Law as the law clearly states "trial must take place in a court of sessions with a Muslim Judge Presiding". Qadri sb in the broad day light killed a human being because he perceived the accused to be violating the Blasphamy Law, that is clearly against the Blasphamy Law itself since execution under this law requires a Muslim Judge to decide.
Now if our religious fellows are careful enough they should stop chanting slogans and striking and blocking roads for Qadri's release, since this road blocking act itself is completely unIslamic, rather they should stand up against the violation of Blasphamy Law by Qadri and feel some respect for the courts' decision. They need to learn from the example of Hazrat Umer (RA) when he accepts the ruling of the Qazi that goes against him even when He (RA) was right but he din't have the witness to prove.
Hang him already.. before its too late..
This cannot be justified in any way
The problem which is 'really'' troubling them is ''why did the government let raymond davis ''kaafir'' go and are putting this ''Ghazi'' on death sentence''?..what they dont know is that these are two ''different'' high profile cases.not a family ''watta satta''
mumtaz qadri ko riha karo he is innocent and he is right decision on governer of punjab, plz leave on mumtaz qadri , we with all mumtaz qadri
I think this is a good opportunity to get rid of the lot that's pulling back Pakistan, So the next time they protest, just round them up and put them behind bars and throw away the keys
This violent reaction and street mayhem was expected and to me, these judges have hollow box on their shoulders - why delaying this trial ??? This man should have been sent to heaven by now !
It's quite funny reading the comments of people here. YES there is rampant extremism in Pakistan by why are most people missing the point that it was failed strike and even the majority of shopkeepers did not heed to the call! This shows that there is still hope in the nation and not everything has failed!
Pakistan's version of Arab spring? Arabs have dictatorships and theocracies and rallied for democracy. Pakistan has democracy but Pakistanis want to go in reverse direction. If majority people themselves want it, they will probably get it.
@Nirvan: Yeh...the way things went in Babri Masjid demolition and Gujrat genocide in India
He MURDERED a man. That is a crime no matter how you look at it. Murderers, in any civilised country, go to prison. Killing another human being is a CRIME.
Anyone who speaks against what we consider right will be killed. Anyone who affiliates with such people and tries to favour them, will be killed. Like the SC judge who is out in the hiding due to our threats. Anyone who speaks ill of Mumtaz Qadri will be killed. We have money, petro-dollars coming directly from Saudia. We have strength, even when we are not great in numbers, we can resort to all means of violence and that makes us a force to reckon. We have political influence because the leaders of our parties have friends in mainstream parties who, out of reverence, listen to them and act on their advice.
That's precisely what the mouth-foaming fundamentalists out there on the streets are telling every sane Pakistani!
i think pakistan is not meant for secularism.... 2.2% secular minority should find another place in the world..... and leave the country at the hands of 97.8% Muslims
I can't hear a word from our 'honorable CJ' in this regard.
The protesters should be held as well!
So far the story told to the World was that lack of education forced the poor to support the Taliban and other terror organisations. Now the picture that is unfolding before the World is very scary with educated lawyers showing the end effects of state driven ideological suicide.
I assume that every Pakistani has given an hour to form an opinion in connection with the issues of Qadri and Taseer, Blasphemy Laws and Hudood Laws, Democracy and Dictatorship. We, either we accept or not, ponder to the depths when these kind of issues occur.
Islam is our weak point. We all Muslims are disabled to have our on opinions by these pressure groups. I wonder how I could read and think over Blasphemy laws, but I certainly have read, studied the studied books, went through the Shariah implications and then formed my opinion. That is what a Liberal Student forms.
@Mooed: "so the Pakistanis on the streets protesting are ‘disease’ and ‘animals’ to you? they are using there democratic right to protest",
Everyone has democratic right to protest. But they do not have right to threaten others (which they have been threatening the judge of this case), destroy property (which they have been diong).
Also they say they are wiling to die for the prophet. Qadri said that too,. But when push comes to shove, Qadri is UNWILLING to die for the prophet and that is why he has appealed the decision. He is just willing to KILL for the prophet - which does not seem democratic at all.
This news is partly correct. Most of the main bazaars of the old city were completely closed in Karachi. That was the case till Tower. Beyond that all shops were open. Also, buses were low in number and there weren't many customers to boot.
In any other country every national leader (political, religious, military) would take the time to condemn this protest --- not a peep out of Pakistani leadership. The absence of overwhelming condemnation from the leadership of Pakistan says something rather nasty about Pakistan.
Pakistan in stone age
@goggi: Your friend Qadri obliterated a human life and is proud of it.
@Moeed : Democracy does not mean that you can do anything that comes to your mind. Democracy does not mean that somebody can kill a civil servant for bigoted reasons and then other like minded people come in support for the murderer through dharnas and hooliganism. For every citizen there is a code of conduct and the citizens of the country should be responsible enough to abide by the directives of the court or else they should face the wrath of the state.
Yes they may have a different point of view regarding the death sentence but there are dignified ways in highlighting the same within the legal framework. The man in question is a murderer and not a servant of Prophet and the brutal killing committed by him does nothing other than maligning Islam. Not only that it undermines humanitarian activities conducted by Pakistanis across the country, even a single such incident adds a lot of bad reputation to a society. My message to Pakistanis, angered by this verdict is that it's your call whom you should be following more - is it confused people like Qadri or people like Edhi. It is this choice of yours which will determine the future course of your country.
1000 people can not determine the destination of this great country.. We are free and will remain free..
People like these are shame for Pakistan .... Their hero might be a murderer but not of mine .... Pakistan has to get rid of this mantality by educating it's common man ...
welcome to pre-Nazi Pakistan! Give it a few years and we'll be exactly like Nazi Germany!
Qadri should be hanged ASAP and we should get over this insanity.
This is an open and shut case. Qadri committed murder in cold-blood with several witnesses and sealed his fate with his own confession. To set him free will not only be a gross injustice but will also fuel the religous extremism that plagues the Pakistani society at the moment.
Qadri needs to be sentenced appropriately and swiftly before we head into any major trubulence created by the extrimist factions.
If these protesters have their way, then no wonder.....Qadri... Next president of Pakistan...
In recent years most of the political and (so called ) riligious parties claimed that it was them who struggled for free judiciary that is rule of law. To-day can I ask them and the C.J is tihis the rule of law they wanted witch is worse the rule of jungleWe can,t see this in any civilised society and in any riligious teachings.We are seeing the bi-products of the Strategic Assest now spreading like cancer in Pakistan. These are the direct results of suppressing of enlightened education in the country. The person responsible for this is no other then Zia-ul-Haq. These people have lost the common power of rational thinking due to blind following of Madrassa teaching where they have been brain washed.
Great man qadri.
@patriotic: @antony: so the Pakistanis on the streets protesting are 'disease' and 'animals' to you? they are using there democratic right to protest, you may disagree with them but you have no right to call them derogatory names
They gave public one hell of a day.Nothing else.I stayed on Islamabad expressway for whole three hours,missed my class.and got back home.All these people got was more hate for mullas.
Shariah Now. Shariah tomorrow. Sharia for ever.
and then we keep on denying this religious extremism that has grown exponentially in the past few decades. They are all willing to sacrfice their lives but they want their hero to be free. Why don't they begin with his sacrifice? Its a cancer and it will continue to grow and transfer itself from one generation to the other.
"Religious parties had called for shops and markets to shut down in protest at Qadri’s incarceration, but reports said the call was not heeded, with establishments in most areas remaining open."
Thank goodness some sanity still prevails in the country.
Sad and disappointing display of irrationality and intolerance.
Pakistani society continue its denial that present generation has been brain washed into a reality which is largely fabricated, there is no conspiracy of any one or any other country at work here.
I guess there's no need for the courts in Pakistan.
Pakistan is lost. It is very sad when the voices of the radicalism holds sway in pakistani news paper. May allah help your country
I am Neutral on it... God Bless & Protect Everyone who is NOT wrong! Even If Salaman Taseer wasn't May His Soul Rest in Peace!
Just one reply .Disease!!!
animals... this is not my islam.
“We are ready to sacrifice our lives for the honour of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).” Then let the man sacrifice his life through death penalty, why do you want him released?
Any surprise here? How PAK conducts herself in this case is going to determine her destiny in the twenty first century.