Blasphemy law: Taseer murder trial deferred

Two more witnesses record statements before the trial court inside the Adiala jail.

RAWALPINDI:

A trial court recorded statements of two more witnesses and adjourned on Saturday the hearing of the murder case of the former governor of Punjab, Salmaan Taseer, till March 26.

The witnesses who recorded their statements were identified as a police draftsman Khurram Shahzad and sub-inspector Muhammad Gulfraz. The case is being heard at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

Khurram Shahzad told the court about the crime scene and the exact spot where Taseer was assassinated in Sector F-6/4 Kohsar Market on January 4. Subsequently, the sub-inspector told the court about the details of the post-mortem report which was carried out at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

According to the report, governor was shot from behind and there were 26 entry and 14 exit wounds on his body. He was shot from a distance of between four and five feet. The autopsy report also said that the governor’s death had occurred because of a bullet which was lodged in his neck, adding that his heart had remained safe.

On February 26, Malik Mumtaz Qadri, the self-confessed killer of the former Punjab governor, had started after four persons, including CMO of the Federal Government Services Hospital (Polyclinic) Dr Muhammad Arshad, Assistant Sub-Inspector Iftikhar Ali and constable Abdul Raheem of the Koshar police station recorded their statements.

Taseer’s son Shehryar had stated in the FIR that his father was assassinated on the persuasion of certain political and religious groups.

Lawyers defending the self-confessed killer appeared before the court along with Qadri’s father, Bashir Awan, and his brother, Dilpazir.

The former governor’s sister-in-law, Ayesha Tammy Haq also attended the hearing,

Earlier, the police had submitted a three-page charge-sheet in which Qadri was booked under Sections 7 of the Anti Terrorism Act and 302/109 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Taseer’s son Shehryar Taseer. Hundreds of Qadri supporters were also present outside the Adiala jail to express solidarity with him.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2011.