Pakistan

The most incisive commentary on Mumtaz Qadri's execution

We did the leg work of digging out the most incisive commentary on Qadri's hanging so you wouldn't have to.

News Desk February 29, 2016

PHOTO: AFP

As news of Mumtaz Qadri's execution spread in the early hours of Monday, numerous hashtags -- some in favour and some against the government's decision -- began trending in Pakistan.

Needless to say, it wasn't easy keeping up with the thousands of tweets on the hanging. We did the leg work of digging out the most incisive commentary on Qadri's hanging so you wouldn't have to. Leave your comments below to have your say.

MumtazQadri being hanged is a victory to #Pakistan. NOT the #Taseer family.The safe return of my brother is the only victory my family wants
— Shehryar Taseer (@shehryar_taseer) February 29, 2016

of everything the state has done so far to counter challenges to its writ, Mumtaz Qadri's execution seems to me to be the most significant.
— EH (@ejazhaider) February 29, 2016

Nothing is more potent than writ of the state. #MumtazQadri
— Aoun Sahi (@AounSahi) February 29, 2016

@le_Sabre First time in my living memory when the state exercised its writ. Never too late.
— Saad M. Waraich (@SaadMWaraich) February 29, 2016

The Pakistani state has hanged a man revered by the radicalized elements of society. That's no small matter, by any measure. #MumtazQadri
— Michael Kugelman (@MichaelKugelman) February 29, 2016

That said, a death, even as an act of justice,is at best a necessary evil calling for sobriety, not celebration. #MumtazQadri
— Aqil Sajjad (@AqilSajjad) February 29, 2016

From the PM's diwali speech, Malik Ishaq to Pb Women Act & Sharmeen Chinnoy's adulation: The PM & CM Punjab have gone where few have dared.
— salman akram raja (@salmanAraja) February 29, 2016

Pakistani liberals celebrating violence [#Qadri hanging]. Behaving like extremists. Desperate to see silver lining, they forgo their values
— Taha Siddiqui (@TahaSSiddiqui) February 29, 2016

Why the fuss? Qadri is just one of over 300 convicts Pakistan has hanged since lifting the moratorium on executions after #APSattack 2014.
— beena sarwar (@beenasarwar) February 29, 2016

It didn't take a military court to convict Qadri. Civilian resolve plain to see in sentencing, and the enactment of that sentence.
— Asad Khawaja (@asadmkh) February 29, 2016

Can we not equate @sharmeenochinoy winning an Oscar with Qadri's hanging. Please. One deserves applaud. The other, we're talking of death.
— Sana Bucha (@sanabucha) February 29, 2016

Drove for a bit. Didnt c any1 mourning or celebrating Qadri's death.Just panicked drivers rushing 2schools&offices. Lets stop spreadng panic
— Farrukh K. Pitafi (@FarrukhKPitafi) February 29, 2016

I'm in shock. Mumtaz Qadri hanged and Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy wins an Oscar. Am I really in Pakistan?
— Bina Shah (@BinaShah) February 29, 2016

Full marks to the current civil/milty dispensation for upholding the law against all threats. The message is important #MumtazQadri
— Haroun Rashid (@HarounRashid2) February 29, 2016

Mumtaz Qadri was not only unrepentant on a cold blooded murder, but was also instigating other inmates for similar crimes. #CondemnedKiller
— Marvi Sirmed (@marvisirmed) February 29, 2016

So the state had to have done this on purpose right? Hanged Mumtaz Qadri on the 29th so he can't have a death anniversary every year?
— Shaheryar Mirza (@mirza9) February 29, 2016

A death should never be cause for any celebration but it's really difficult to feel any sympathy for this man or his vile supporters. #Qadri
— Hasan Zaidi (@hyzaidi) February 29, 2016

#Media Beware:
Let us not let #MumtazQadri
becone another #LalMasjid:
A monster larger in death
than even in life. pic.twitter.com/Kxb6Kgnyyh
— Adil Najam  (@AdilNajam) February 29, 2016

Five years after he assassinated @SalmaanTaseer, Mumtaz Qadri is hanged. But Aasia Bibi still in jail for blasphemy. https://t.co/Cml8WfQzd9
— Declan Walsh (@declanwalsh) February 29, 2016

The man is dead. But his insanity is found in many of those who are mourning his demise. Alarming. #MumtazQadri
— Mahwash Ajaz 🇵🇰 (@mahwashajaz_) February 29, 2016

Whether u endorse death penalty or not, from a legal position the Qadri case is beyond any speculation. Someone tell the protesting lawyers
— Mehr Tarar (@MehrTarar) February 29, 2016

https://twitter.com/ArifCRafiq/status/704156066616102912

Whether u endorse death penalty or not, from a legal position the Qadri case is beyond any speculation. Someone tell the protesting lawyers
— Mehr Tarar (@MehrTarar) February 29, 2016

And no 'Pakistan isn't shut down' and nor is 'society rallying in protest against qadri hanging'. If it were you'd know it, believe me.
— Zarrar Khuhro (@ZarrarKhuhro) February 29, 2016

No one is celebrating the death of #MumtazQadri, a bigoted murderer, rather the fact that justice prevailed in #Pakistan today.
— F Shirin MD (@FShirin) February 29, 2016

https://twitter.com/Ahmad_Noorani/status/704171665874415616

COMMENTS (32)

Raahim Quraishi | 8 years ago | Reply @sabi: Its not the Sharif Bro's, its SC which upheld decision of lower courts and pressure of europe and united states on government for not to pardon.

A Zuberi | 8 years ago | Reply @IndianDude: Indian TROLLS will be Indian TROLLS after all sticking their unbelonging nose in other's affairswhether ornot it belongs there, what a chammar youhappen to be.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

K J | 8 years ago | Reply Basically Qadri was a coward man, murdering someone who relied on him for safety, people who are awarding Qadri as a Shaheed actually are insulting ones who had attained it by ultimate sacrifice not as a hate-riddled person dragged to the gallows.

gp65 | 8 years ago | Reply @Awais: relatives of Raymond Davis's victims pardoned him according to Pakistan's Qisas and Deeyat laws. Taseer family had refused to pardon Qadri. Law was same in both cases.

gp65 | 8 years ago | Reply @Bacchus Piggawala: @sabi: Your pride is well deserved. First this, then Sharmeen's Oscar and then Nawaz's commitment to eradicate honour killing. Things are improving in Pakistan. All the best...from an Indian.

Imtiaz | 8 years ago | Reply It's shameful for all those who attended the funeral of a cold blooded murderer. Thousands of peoples attended the funeral of killer who killed his officer who trusted him as his body guard. The attendance shows how the extremism is prevailing in Pakistan society.

IndianDude | 8 years ago | Reply So a convicted killer of most powerful politician, with irrefutable evidence of guilt is punished and it is considered a great achievement for a Islamic nuclear power? Shows how little the civilized world expects from a country stuck in the 6th century. Anyways, congratulation to Pakistan for taking a giant step to get out of 16th century.

Y. Dassu | 8 years ago | Reply Many people in the U.K. who are well wishers of Pakistan and it's people widely support The State of Pakistan when it takes steps to uphold the Rule of Law. Carrying out the Death Penalty on a person who commits a treasonable crime is the States duty. Mr. Qadri committed the murder of an official whom he was sworn to protect is an extremely big crime. His conviction was right and proper. Wether Mr. Qadri was a devout Muslim or not is not an issue. He committed a crime and hos relegious piety has got nothing to do with The Penalty.

Ravi | 8 years ago | Reply Pakistani government did the right thing, they have to follow with many more brave decisions.

Rex Minor | 8 years ago | Reply @Awais: I am not saying he was right! But Law should be upheld for everyone, not only where this hypocrate government wills! This was not the law in action Sir but politics at its worst to send its citizens to gallows instead of to psychiatric institutions for treatment. The God of Ibrahim forbids the killing of humans deliberately and categoricaly and being denied in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia but for how long is the question? Rex Minor

Javed Ahmad | 8 years ago | Reply So long Pakistan has wide-spread illiteracy, poverty, and absence of social justice, she will continue to produce Mumtaz Qadris.

D | 8 years ago | Reply So evety one is yalking about or against qadri! Supporting govt for right decision! Anyone thought about raymond davis, raza gillani, mustafa kanju, and other political murderers who got away easily in the same judicial system! Where was govt then?

Zahoorul Haq | 8 years ago | Reply Unfortunately I doubt my comment will be posted by ET because of their liberal agenda. My comments are always ignored by ET and I know the reason why. As one can see the vast majority of comments posted here reflect only one side i.e. the liberal leftest and so called "enlightened" side. My comment is "why do we have a different law for Raymond Davis and Mumtaz Qadri. The killers of Baldia factory in Karachi are known to everyone but is there any law for them as well? Nobody would dare to punish them or even mention the name of the killer "political party". I think the countdown for Sharif government is started.

Awais | 8 years ago | Reply Whattey double standards by the government! There are thousand of other cases where murderers were spared, like the Raymond Davis Case. And to appease the mybaap they executed this man! I am not saying he was right! But Law should be upheld for everyone, not only where this hypocrate government wills!

John B | 8 years ago | Reply Now free all those rotting in jail on charges of blasphemy. Otherwise the death of Taseer' and Qadri's hanging are all in vain and serve no purpose. Repeal or Cherish blasphemy law. Qadri or Taseer? What say you

V. C. Bhutani | 8 years ago | Reply This news has been there since yesterday morning’s papers. Still a question is being asked and answered: the country has a question it must ask itself: what creates the monsters in our midst and how can it be stopped? In truth, the answer is not yet known. If we were honest we would see the answer right away. Everybody seems to be pretending to have forgotten that Pakistan was founded for the Muslims of the North-West (let’s leave out East Bengal in the present context) and Ziaul Haq went many steps further by introducing Islamization: no subsequent ruler or government had the courage to reverse it. There is an underlying substratum of approval of what Qadri did. Even the educated class of advocates put their profession in lasting shame by treating Qadri as a hero who is now sought to be painted as a martyr of Islam. The answer lies in reversing Islamization and going in for a system of education which will inculcate a scientific attitude. Can somebody do this?

Pakistani | 8 years ago | Reply @American: The executed man was the rallying point for religious extremists in our country. No worries, as an American you'll understand very soon what that means now that religious extremists are gobbling up your country too.

Naheed Ijaz | 8 years ago | Reply Maybe Pakistanis are coming of age .Hopefully they will differentiate between good and evil. Let us not seeQadris hanging as anything special .A murderer got his just deserts. Pakistanis dwell on other important issues we are facing , the most heinous being corruption of our custodians. The trickle effect has eaten the body of Pakistan . Please rise and try to do something before we are no more.

One View point. | 8 years ago | Reply @Logical Mind: Win or loose this government has made the right decision. There are millions against and for the decision. One cannot let murders happen, the way it has taken place. This is the most outrageous murder in perhaps the history of this nation and the reason is equally beyond belief. Win or loose the government has done the right thing.

Murtaza | 8 years ago | Reply @Logical Mind: Tend to agree with you. Religion (including Judicial point of view) apart, this is a grave political mistake of the ruling party.

citizen | 8 years ago | Reply This man has bought the differences within the mindset of this nation to the forefront. There a millions against him and probably millions who hail him as a hero. This is where we are as a Nation. There are deep differences within. As a nation we have to acknowledge this simple fact. After stating the obvious, how should we move forward as a nation? this is the challenge Pakistan faces from within more important than the challenges it faces from outside.

Logical Mind | 8 years ago | Reply The rulers have crossed a blazing red line. PML-N politics is finished, mark my words! They will lose the upcoming elections by tremendous margin, because Pakistan does not consist of liberal fascists living in the posh areas only and the social media. Government may be able to control the protests and suppress the protesting voices for the short term but there is a huge majority of silent voters who will punish them when the time comes. They will also lose the votes of the voters who had been voting for them just because they considered them a lesser evil.

A Zuberi | 8 years ago | Reply @American: No that is not how it is like you phrase it.

S | 8 years ago | Reply @American: You should have checked the background of this case before commenting. This execution was no ordinary feat. Let me explain. Qadri was a murderer but he was hailed hero by our country's religious conservatives/parties because of blasphemy issue. The Govt was under tremendous pressure, specially from our religious parties and conservatives to release him. Everyone thought the Govt will not be able to go through with the execution because of possible backlash but they showed courage. So yes this is an accomplishment for the Govt and our country for not bowing down to pressure.

American | 8 years ago | Reply Hanging a convicted murderer is hailed as a great accomplishment for Pakistan...?

Ch. Allah Daad | 8 years ago | Reply Why shouldn't we celebrate? Millions of people died on and around 14th of August but we celebrate that day. This is the day when a line is drawn between those who believe in rule of law and those scumbags who had hijacked this unfortunate nation. Thank you to our military and civilian leaders.

Parvez | 8 years ago | Reply Mumtaz Qadri was punished as per the Law for the crime of cold blooded murder......but the man he killed died vain because the government as yet has to pick up the courage and do the right thing that Salman Taseer wanted done.

Shahab Uddin | 8 years ago | Reply Any halfwit who has the nerve to mock people celebrating should know that it is not the death of an individual that my countrymen are celebrating. We are celebrating this little ray of hope, we are celebrating justice.

sabi | 8 years ago | Reply Both Sharifs have done a great service to Islam and Pakistan by executing the one having done great damage to the image of Islam and Pakistan.

Bacchus Piggawala | 8 years ago | Reply A democratically elected government has upheld the ruling of the Supreme Court despite significant threat of nationwide retaliation. Take pride in this moment Pakistan. Maybe you are turning a corner after all. I for one am very proud to be a Pakistani today.

Abdul Razak, Lahore | 8 years ago | Reply A very good day for Pakistan. A monster is removed from human society.

sabi | 8 years ago | Reply You see! nothing scares these rightists but execution so pl keep on doing that until the last rightists on this soil exists.Pakistan tera khuda hafiz.

Replying to X