Pakistan

Mumtaz Qadri appeals against death sentence in Supreme Court

Plea states punishment against Qadri should not be as severe as murder was 'provoked'

Web Desk April 13, 2015

PHOTO: AFP

Mumtaz Qadri, the killer of former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, appealed against his death sentence in the Supreme Court on Monday, Express News reported.

Qadri’s lawyer, advocate Khawaja Sharif presented his appeal to the apex court today claiming the Islamabad High Court’s verdict is unconstitutional and unlawful.

As per Pakistan Penal Code Section 302 (C), the punishment should not be as severe as the murder was an act of provocation, the plea stated.

Islamabad High Court (IHC) upheld Mumtaz Qadri’s death sentence on Monday under Section-302 of the Pakistan Penal Code for killing former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, but struck out a terrorism conviction, making it unlikely he will be executed soon.

Read: Taseer murder case: IHC upholds Mumtaz Qadri's death sentence

On March 9, the Islamabad High Court dismissed an appeal against the death sentence by Qadri, Taseer’s former police bodyguard. However, the IHC declared Qadri’s death sentence under the Anti Terrorism Act null and void.

Read: Dropping of terror charge: Ministry appeals IHC’s Mumtaz Qadri verdict

Qadri admitted shooting Taseer, saying he objected to the politician’s calls to reform Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws which can carry the death penalty.

An anti-terrorism court handed down double death sentences for murder and terrorism to Qadri in late 2011. However, the self-confessed killer of the former governor Punjab had filed an appeal in the court against his conviction which the IHC dismissed.

COMMENTS (14)

Dipak | 9 years ago | Reply Not only Quadri should be punished immediately, I would also like to put all those lawyers to be put in jail for Life for spreading the rose petals in celebration for killing Gov. Salman Taseer.

qanoon | 9 years ago | Reply The plea proves the fact that he has admitted to have murdered Salman Taseer. What else is there to ascertain? Give him some pills before the hanging. That will be mercy.

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Asad | 9 years ago | Reply Wonder why he is afraid of dying-if hanged will be a Shaheed. Is that not true?

Ch. Allah Daad | 9 years ago | Reply Why this coward is afraid of death?

PakSal | 9 years ago | Reply Amazing how he values his life and not of others. Shameless butcher, needs to be hanged without any further ado, a clear message needs to be sent, at once.

sabi | 9 years ago | Reply This murdere must be hanged in couple of weeks.

S Chaudhury | 9 years ago | Reply He & his supporters deserve no sympathy. They should be sent a clear message stop terrorising people in the name of religion.

A J Khan | 9 years ago | Reply Mumtaz Qadri has appealed in Supreme Court to grant him stay on Planet Earth & save him from heavens.

raheel | 9 years ago | Reply He must be hanged...

TooTrue | 9 years ago | Reply A very porcine looking man. He should be sent to his maker at the earliest opportunity.

TooTrue | 9 years ago | Reply "Murder was provoked"? Aren't all murders provoked in some sense? In fact I'm so seriously provoked by Qadri that I would shoot him given the option.

Shahid | 9 years ago | Reply Now that Pakistan has taken a firm and brave stand against KSAs wishes, the other thing to do is completely curb this religious extremism. Whoever comes on the street in Quadri's support should be dealt with strongly.

Kathy | 9 years ago | Reply So he was on duty, killed a State official and now he states it was provocation and not a premeditated murder for which he had sought fatwa from a mulla. Now the brave soul wants mercy.

Khan | 9 years ago | Reply The murderer is afraid of death.

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