Islamabad - The authorities have hanged Mumtaz Qadri, the self-claimed assassinator of former Governor Punjab Salman Taseer, at heavily guarded Adaila Jail at 4:30am today.
"I can confirm that Qadri was hanged in Adialia jail early Monday morning," senior local police official Sajjid Gondal told AFP.
A prison official confirmed the execution of Qadri, a former police bodyguard who killed liberal Punjab governor Salman Taseer in 2011.
The hanging of Malik Mumtaz Qadri sparked massive protest demonstration across the district with tens of hundreds of violent activists of seminaries gathering at Faizabad Interchange. At present the irate protestors aren't allowing anybody to enter Islamabad.
Meanwhile, Punjab government suspended Metro Bus Service Between Islamabad and Rawalpindi, whereas all the educational institutions including Pir Mehar Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, have been closed.
Protestors blocked Faizabad Interchange by placing containers, trucks and other barriers while disconnecting the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad from rest of the country. They were holding bamboo sticks, rods, flags and wearing turbines and green-pieces of clothes with Kalma Tayyaba inscribed on it and barring the commuters from entering the federal capital.
They also torched old tyres to register their protest. Many protestors were listening religious speeches of various Ulemas on their mobile phones.
Around 50 Rangers and police in riot gear as well as ambulances and dozens of police vehicles were stationed outside Qadri's home in the city early Monday, an AFP reporter there said, blocking the street and refusing to allow people to enter.
Armed Rangers could be seen stationed on the roof of the building housing Qadri's residence and some roads in the neighbourhood were closed.
Cries were heard from inside the house as around 20 people gathered, apparently family members, and mosques could be heard broadcasting news of the execution.
"We have beefed up security in Rawalpindi to maintain law and order and to deal with any untoward situation," Gondal said.
He said the hanging took place after a final meeting between Qadri and his family late Sunday, and that the body had been sent to his relatives.
Qadri shot Taseer 28 times in broad daylight in an upscale market in the capital Islamabad.
He later admitted the killing, saying he objected to the politician's calls to reform Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws.
The speakers condemned policies of Nawaz League and demanded earlier ousting of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his team. Charged protestors were chanting slogans "Go Nawaz Go", " Qadri your devotees are countless", "Qadri your blood will not be gone waste". The most changed slogan,bellowed by activists, was simple " Go Nawaz Go". Many others are reciting verses from Holy Quran and Naat Sharif to pay homage to Qadri.
Protestors also set a private bus on fire at Murree Road, with the passengers, students, office-goers and other citizens facing immense troubles because of blockage of roads.
The bamboo holding activists went into verbal clash with the motorcyclists who tried to breach the barriers places by the protestors.
"I came from Chakwal to take my father to doctors in Holy Family Hospital but the protestors have barred me and are not allowing me to go towards HFH," said Ahmed Bashir at Faizabad.
Earlier, hundreds arrived at Qadri's home located at Muslim Town, Sadiqabad area when the dead body of Qadri was brought. On Sunday, the Adaila Jail authorities had arranged Qadri's last meeting with his family members and relatives.
Taseer had also been vocal in his support of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who has been on death row since 2010 over blasphemy.
Qadri lost a petition for the Supreme Court to review his sentence in December last year.
The decision came after the court warned in October that in Islam a false accusation can be as serious as the blasphemy itself, and that calls for blasphemy law reform "ought not to be mistaken as a call for doing away with that law".
Rumours started pouring in earlier today as his supporters started Twitter trend to call for protest against his expected hanging.
The protests have erupted in Hyderabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore after the announcement by leaders of the movement to free Mumtaz Qadri.
Twitter is abuzz with opinions from journalists and experts who while commending the move, fear consequences.
Agree or disagree with the death penalty, the state has taken a bold stance and it will face backlash by those bent upon eroding its writ.
— Ayesha Ijaz Khan (@ayeshaijazkhan) February 29, 2016
We may not believe in death penalty but #MumtazQadri sure did. Finally some closure for the #Taseer family#Pakistan https://t.co/ta4hYtqzOq
— Mohammad Taqi (@mazdaki) February 29, 2016
Security has been beefed up in the whole country as protests are growing violent at few places.
On the way to #Islamabad airport people r protesting with sticks in their hands, burning Tyres & hitting cars.. @ICT_Police plz help!
— meena gabeena (@gabeeno) February 29, 2016
If the state is determined it can certainly handle the situation.Lets hope Pak media behaves in a responsible manner https://t.co/3KGNYjri31
— Raza Ahmad Rumi (@Razarumi) February 29, 2016
Supporters of Mumtaz Qadri have blocked Shahdra Chowk in Lahore to protest his execution. In Rawalpindi, the police was put on a highalert earlier in the night. "We have orders to strictly monitor the activities following the execution of Mumtaz Qadri," a source informed The Nation.
