Islamabad: Supreme Court (SC) has admitted for hearing appeal plea filed by Mumtaz Qadri against death sentence awarded to him in Suleman Taseer murder case and appeal plea by government against deletion of terror act from this case.
A 3-member bench of SC presided over by Justice Asif Saeed Khan took up the appeal pleas for hearing today.
The court has issued notices to the parties concerned and adjourned the hearing of the case till October.
Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa has remarked, “We have to give decisions in consonance with law and constitution. Can we declare it blasphemy if someone opposes the law of the state? Why were 28 bullets were fired when there was no personal grudge there. Mumtaz Qadri was deployed on the security of Suleman Taseer. If one is not safe from one’s own guard then it is highly dangerous. It is the responsibility of the murderer to disclose the reason behind the murder. Shariah related matter does not fall in the jurisdiction of high court and SC.
Justice Qazi Faiz Yehya has remarked “ prove first of all that Suleman Taseer was blasphemer. What examples are there in Islam on killing someone without offence. Suleman Taseer had given the statement after thinking what.
Nazir advocate counsel for Mumtaz Qadri took the plea that Mumtaz Qadri had no personal grudge with Suleman Taseer. He would have been killed had he not spoken about blasphemy law by molding it into wrong words.
The court stated that the decision of any Sharia specific matter does not fall in the jurisdiction of high court and SC. How will it be ascertained what Qadri is saying is correct. And Suleman Taseer had given statement as per his thinking which provoked him.
The counsel said this is matter of Sharia rather than personal grudge.
Counsel for the government said Mumtaz Qadri has committed murder. The way he has fired falls under terrorism. Therefore, it is against the law to delete the terrorism act leveled against him which should be restored and appeal plea be admitted for hearing.
Islamabad High Court had upheld only a section related to the murder during hearing of appeal filed against Anti Terrorism Court decision.
