2015-03-09 15:58:00

Pakistan court upholds death sentence for Punjab Governor killer ‎


A Pakistani court Monday upheld the death sentence handed to the killer of a politician who sought ‎blasphemy law reform, but struck out a terrorism conviction, making it unlikely he will be executed ‎soon.  The Islamabad High Court dismissed an appeal against the death sentence by Mumtaz Qadri, a ‎former police bodyguard who shot dead Punjab governor Salman Taseer in Islamabad in 2011.  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.   But they also set aside Qadri's conviction on ‎terrorism charges, which means it is highly unlikely he will be sent to the gallows any time soon.‎

Pakistan lifted a moratorium on executions in December after Taliban gunmen massacred more than 150 ‎people at a school, but only in terror-related cases.  Authorities have hanged 24 prisoners since ‎December, all convicted of terror crimes, but the moratorium remains in force for those sentenced to ‎death on normal criminal charges.‎

Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in Muslim ‎Pakistan. Qadri has been hailed as a hero by many conservatives eager to drown out any calls to soften ‎the legislation.   The most famous prisoner and victim of Pakistan’s blasphemy law is Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who was arrested and imprisoned for insulting prophet Muhammad,  a charge she denies.  In November 2010, a local judge sentenced her to death. If executed, Noreen would be the first woman in Pakistan to be lawfully killed for blasphemy.   Pope Benedict XVI had publicly called for the charges against her to be dismissed.  Christian minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti as well as Salman Taseer were both killed for advocating on her behalf and opposing the blasphemy laws. 








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