Punjab Assembly to protest the conviction of Mumtaz Qadri for killing the then Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer in Rawalpindi on Jan 4 this year. The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) also held a rally from Mansoora to Nasser Bagh.JI secretary-general Liaqat Baloch in a statement said: "Mr Taseer had himself invited death by issuing blasphemous statements and Qadri did not deserve death sentence in this case".
| "I couldn't help myself, your honour. He was just... just...just uncovered meat!" |
Mr Baloch further said although the accused had made a confessional statement, the rulers should realise if the execution of the death sentence would help improve the situation or further deepen the religious sentiments of masses. "The execution of
the death sentence will not be an easy step," he warned.
On the other hand, PPP Punjab information secretary Dr Fakharuddin Chaudhry welcomed the verdict in a presser.
"Decision against Qadri will promote the religion and discourage the krazed killer elements," Mr Chaudhry said.
He said the religious parties which were pressurising the government after the verdict were in fact trying to impose their version of Islam. The PPP official said that Mr Taseer was a true Mohammedan and a liberal and progressive man.