Pakistan

Security upped for president ahead of Mumtaz Qadri's mercy plea decision

Mamnoon’s family also moved to Presidency as he is expected decide the appeal soon

Obaid Abbasi February 21, 2016

President Mamnoon Hussain. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain’s family has confined itself to the Presidency for fear of a backlash as he is expected to decide the clemency plea of Malik Mumtaz Qadri, the self-confessed killer of Punjab’s former governor Salmaan Taseer.

Qadri, a former police commando, assassinated Taseer in Islamabad’s Kohsar Market on January 4, 2011 for his support to a blasphemy accused. An Anti-Terrorism Court convicted and condemned him to death – a ruling also upheld by the Islamabad High Court and Supreme Court.

SC dismisses review petition of Taseer's assassin

A review petition of Qadri was also turned down by the top court on December 14 last year, leaving him with the last option of to file a clemency appeal to the president.

Religious parties have threatened nationwide protests if Qadri is hanged. In view of a possible backlash, the president’s family has been moved from Karachi to the Presidency in Islamabad, sources told The Express Tribune.

Currently, only the president and the prime minister are provided security under the ‘Blue Category’ – the highest security protocol for anyone in Pakistan. “Despite these heavy protocols, security of the president has been further beefed up as he is about to decide the mercy appeal of Qadri,” said an official privy to the development.

Mumtaz Qadri does not deserve mercy, Taseer's family appeals to court

The president has three sons. And the official said last year one of his sons, Salman Mamnoon, escaped a bomb attack on his convoy in Hub, near Karachi. Three people were killed in the attack claimed by a banned separatist group, Baloch Liberation Army.

Another senior security official told The Express Tribune that overall security in Islamabad would also be reviewed if Qadri’s mercy plea was rejected by the president. “Security situation will be reviewed following the decision. And most probably the district administration will impose Section 144 in the capital,” he said. Secretary to the President Shahid Khan refused to comment on the issue.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd, 2016.

COMMENTS (27)

Tauheed Ahmed | 8 years ago | Reply I hope the President shows the physical courage to do the right thing and reject this cruel man's mercy plea. If the President cant do that, he is not fit to be the Head of the State.

M.S. | 8 years ago | Reply Death is the minimum punishment Qadri deserves but State must make sure that he doesn't become a Shaheed. After hanging, his body should be buried at an undisclosed location, otherwise stupid people will use his grave for their ulterior motives.

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Dr.M.M.Khan | 8 years ago | Reply History will judge you if you don't listen to the call of the highest court in Pakistan. This is the litmus test. Sometimes one has to step up to the plate and deliver.

Aleem | 8 years ago | Reply @Indian: As if Indra Gandhi and her son felt safe after going after the Punjabi nationalists and the Tamils! Don't act as if India is some safe, pacified country. Plenty of killings go on there and politicians act like lions when away from the very many hotspots in India. If you disagree with me then just for an hour send Modi without any protection to walk the streets of Sri Nagar!

Diablo | 8 years ago | Reply Nail it Mr President, once and for all !

Jamal | 8 years ago | Reply Why Qardri is afraid of gallows now? Hoors are waiting for him.

Rex Minor | 8 years ago | Reply The President should be wary of the Tasseer followers turning into a lynching mob as well as the security personnel of Qadri kind. He must not rallow the murder of Qadri who without any doubt is a psychiatric patient to avenge the murder of late Tasseer. In any event he must resign his post after the decision. Rex Minor

TooTrue | 8 years ago | Reply Time's up for Qadri. Now let's see how bravely he ascends the scaffold. He'll probably have to be dragged up, screaming and wailing. Shooting an unarmed man in the back takes no courage.

Aleem | 8 years ago | Reply Send Mumtaz to the gallows already! Every other supporter of this murderer should be showered with jootay if they come out in support of this fitna monger/fassadi. No man can take matters into his own hands. Islam is strictly against this type of anarchy. He has shed the blood of Salman Taseer and for that he must pay with blood. No exceptions!

Indian | 8 years ago | Reply Even President is not safe, and Pakistani' want foreigners to come and play cricket. Wonder when they are going to claim Qadri is RAW Agent.

kamran Ahmad Kami | 8 years ago | Reply He should be hanged.

sabi | 8 years ago | Reply @Acorn Guts: You got it wrong, not individual but state has the authority to do so if situation demands.

DNiwasi | 8 years ago | Reply @Burhan Khan: why should fanatics opinion be of any relevance?

DNiwasi | 8 years ago | Reply @Acorn Guts: Police can shoot on spot if the protesters actions are a threat to society.

Imran | 8 years ago | Reply Please do not accept the plea of the murderer, why is he so scared of death now? I should see Mumtaz Qadri hanged!

curious2 | 8 years ago | Reply He should have been executed right after the SC ruling. Someone who executes people in cold blood doesn't deserve mercy - ain't that complicated. They should also seize/sell all of his assets and donate the proceeds to the family of his victim.

Seema | 8 years ago | Reply This is not a piece of news but an effort by the supporters to intimidate the president by leaking this. Why is the point of telling before rejecting if the situation is this serious

goggi (Lahore) | 8 years ago | Reply Killing humans, for whatsoever reasons, is the trait of very low class species. As a citizen of Pakistan I appeal to the President of Pakistan, that the clemency plea of Mr. Salmaan Taseer´s murderer should be granted.

Burhan Khan | 8 years ago | Reply The president will need blue security for lifetime if he rejects the mercy plea. Rejecting the mercy plea might also be considered Blasphemy by the fanatics.

Affan | 8 years ago | Reply WHY appealing. Fast track way to Heaven .. Qadri plz dnt waste time

Acorn Guts | 8 years ago | Reply @sabi: That's what Qadri did no? Shot someone on the spot because he thought the person was breaking a Sharia law? Shooting on the spot is not acceptable in any society.

Faraz Mehmood | 8 years ago | Reply Begging for mercy. Shameful. Nowhere to hide now. He should not have filed a single appeal against he capital punishment. But Thanks to him he did so. Now people have witnessed him crying for clemency. Unfortunately Interior Minister and the govt have failed to establish its control, arrest the extremist supporters. Supreme Court should also initiate contempt proceedings against protesters.

Parvez | 8 years ago | Reply Are we supposed to clap if the does the right thing ?

Napier Mole | 8 years ago | Reply Instead of reading this news, why were we not simply reading news of his hanging after the rejection of his petition at the same time. Why leak this news and allow protest, however small and unrepresentative, to build up unnecessarily.

Hameed | 8 years ago | Reply Qadri is now appealing fro clemency? Amazing. Where are all his supporters now?

sabi | 8 years ago | Reply Shoot on the spot if someone takes the law in his hands and everything will be ok. No to theocracy.

Observer | 8 years ago | Reply When a President (Commander in Chief) is fearful about his life, imagine the vulnerability of an ordinary people, who are told by the West to rise up to the extremist groups.

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