Mumtaz Qadri

Vorlage:Infobox criminal Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri (1985 – February 29, 2016), better known as Mumtaz Qadri, was a Pakistani policeman and commando of Elite Police who was convicted of the assassination of Salman Taseer. He assassinated Taseer after he spoke in favour of Asia Bibi regarding the wrong use of blasphemy law in Pakistan. He assassinated Salman Taseer because he was the a vocal critic of the blasphemy law, Salmaan Taseer showed his overwhelming support for Asia Bibi, the woman charged with making disrespectful remarks against the Holy Prophet (pbuh), and condemned the controversial law on several occasions.

Life and career

Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri was born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. He joined Punjab Police in 2002 and because of exceptional performance became member of Elite Police in 2007. In 2010, he joined the squad for the security of former Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer.

Murder

On 4 January 2011, he opened fire and killed former Governor of Punjab Salman Taseer at Kohsar Market in Islamabad after he spoke in favor of Asia Bibi who was charged with blasphemy according to controversial Blasphemy Law in Pakistan. Salman Taseer had freed Asia Bibi from Jail and helped her in escaping from Pakistan and criticised blasphemy law in Pakistan. He killed Taseer with 25 bullets when he was serving as his bodyguard. Immidiately after Killing Salman Taseer, Mumtaz Qadari surrendered.

Arrest and execution

Qadri was arrested and was sent to jail on five day physical remand on 6 January 2011. He appeared in court on 9 January 2011 and confessed that he killed Salman Taseer because of his statement in favour of Pakistani Christian woman Asia Bibi. During his appearance in court over 300 lawyers offered to do his case for free. On 10 January 2011, he was sent to Adiala Jail on 14 day judicial remand. Due to security issues his case was held in Adiala Jail on 14 January 2011. He was charged with the murder of the Governor of Punjab. On 10 October 2011, court issued death warrant of Mumtaz Qadri. He filed an appeal against his death warrant in Islamabad High Court on 6 October 2011 and the appeal was admitted on 11 October 2011. Given the prevailing constitutional and legal setup, Justice Dost Mohammad observed, can the accused be given the right to judge on his own cause and commit murder in uniform of a person who was under his protection, especially when there is no evidence of him having committed blasphemy, save a few press clippings. In 2014 a mosque was built in Islamabad after the name of Mumtaz Qadri. The appeal filed by Qadri was rejected in December 2015. Mumtaz Qadri was hanged on 29 February 2016 at 4:30 AM at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

Reaction to the execution

Protests began immediately by religious parties all over the country against the execution. People protested in major cities of Pakistan, including Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar. Lawyers in Islamabad called one day strike against the decision. Sunni Tehreek announced protests all over the country. Metrobus Rawalpindi-Islamabad was also suspended due to the protests in the city. Markets and business centres were closed and disturbance in traffic was reported in different locations of Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad.

However a lot of people also supported the decision as well. Council of Islamic Ideology chairman Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani said that Mumtaz Qadri’s act — though driven by religious sentiments — was illegal because he had taken the law into his own hands and he faced punishment because “no one is above the law”.

According to BBC Urdu Pakistani media did not highlighted the execution of Qadri's execution and media remained calm.