(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday reserved its verdict on Mumtaz Qadri's appeal against his death sentence in a case pertaining to the murder of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer after he labelled the blasphemy law as a black law.
A two-member bench of the IHC, comprising Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui and Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi, heard the appeal against Qadri's conviction.
Qadri's counsel Mian Nazir Akhtar contended that Pakistan is a Muslim country, not a Western or a secular nation, adding that the Holy Quran is referred in order to resolve disputes between an individual and the state. He further argued that in extraordinary circumstances any individual could kill anybody who committed blasphemy.
To this, Justice Shaukat asked whether terming a sacred law as a black law would come under the domain of blasphemy. He further added that nothing could justify the murder of any citizen by an individual.
Advocate General Mian Abdul Rauf, who was representing the federal government, said any allegations against Taseer should have been proved in the court. He said Qadri was not authorised in any way to take the law in his own hands. He further said that extrajudicial killing is against the constitution and law and added that Qadri's crime was known to all and therefore the court should dismiss his appeal. Qadri had confessed he murdered the former governor.
The court subsequently reserved its ruling on Qadri's appeal.
Taseer was assassinated by his security guard associated with the Punjab Elite Force, Mumtaz Qadri, on January 4, 2011 at Kohsar Market in Islamabad because of the politician's criticism of the country's blasphemy laws.
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