ISLAMABAD: The top court Wednesday upheld the trial court order and also restored death sentence under terrorism law.
Anti-Terrorism Court had awarded death sentence to Mumtaz Qadri for murdering former Punjab governor under section Pakistan Penal Code and Anti-Terrorism Act. However Islamabad High Court had maintained death sentence under PPC but dropped the charges of terrorism.
Qadir, former commando of Punjab Elite Force, had assassinated ex-governor Salman Taseer, as he had met with Aasia Bibi, a convict of blasphemy, in jail and declared the blasphemy law as ‘black law’.
Two former judges Mian Nazir Akhtar and Khawaja Sharif of the Lahore High Court pleaded Qadri’s case before apex court. They asked the court for lesser punishment and dropping the charges of death sentence under Section 302 of PPC and Section 7 of ATA. The 7ATA isrelated to create panic and harassment in the public.
Also Read: Criticising laws is not blasphemy, says SC
The court dismissed Mumtaz Qadri appeal against IHC order of death sentence under PPC but allowed the federation’s appeal against the same high court order for dropping terrorism charges.
A three-judge bench before the announcement of the order thanked the counsels and one line order declared: “the conviction and sentence allowed by the trial court are restored.”
Mumtaz Qadri counsel did not say whether they would challenge the order. However they have right to file a review petition against the order in the Supreme Court and the last appeal for mercy lies with the President of Pakistan, the legal experts say.
Federation’s counsel Mian Abdur Rauf appreciated the order.
More: SC questions unfairness in blasphemy cases
Qadri’s counsels insisted that something must have happened before the incident, as Qadri is very quite person and can’t even imagine committed such heinous crimes. They however defended blasphemy law and said that it was made completely in light of Islamic teaching.
The blasphemy law was introduced during the regime of General Zia-ul-Haq in 1986. Around 1,194 people have been charged under the blasphemy laws since then.
Pakistan Penal Code’s Section 295 dates back to pre-partition India when it was introduced in 1860. But three clauses – A, B & C – were added in section 295 during General Zia’s era. At least 150 Christians, 564 Muslims, 459 Ahmadis and 21 Hindu have been in Pakistan jails under blasphemy charges since 1986, says a report of National Commission on Justice and Peace. Prior to 1986, only 14 cases pertaining to blasphemy were reported, it added.