Court defers Mumtaz Qadris indictment

Mumtaz Qadri

Governor Punjab Salman Taseers assassin Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri. Photo by Reuters

RAWALPINDI: A court on Tuesday deferred the indictment of Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, the police commando who confessed to killing Punjab governor Salman Taseer, his lawyer said.

Mumtaz Qadri said he shot dead Salman Taseer outside a cafe after lunch in Islamabad on January 4 because he objected to Taseers calls to reform the blasphemy law, which carries the death penalty.

One of Qadris lawyers, Raja Shuja Rehman, told AFP that the indictment could not take place as planned because the prosecution had yet to provide the defence with six police statements.

The court has ordered that the statements be provided to us and the next hearing has been fixed on February 4. According to the rules, an indictment can be done seven days after statements are provided, he added.

Taseers killing drew mixed reactions in Pakistan, where many from the increasingly powerful conservative religious quarter praised the gunman for acting to silence the politician.

About 100 men and youths gathered outside the high-security Adiyala prison in Rawalpindi, calling for his release, shouting Have some shame, free Qadri.

The protesters nudged in front of the judges car ! as he ar rived for the hearing at the prison but there was no incident, an AFP reporter said.

Qadri was showered with petals at initial court hearings after he admitted to the murder.

Rehman claimed Qadris health was deteriorating.

We are concerned about his health. It is deteriorating and we will hold the administration responsible if anything happens to Qadri, he said.

Investigation officer Hakim Khan told the court that cleric Hanif Qureshi and another man, Imtiaz Shah, were no longer relevant to enquiries.

Qureshi and Shah were released on bail after Qadri said he shot Taseer after listening to their speeches.


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