MQI snubs efforts for Qadri’s release

The Minhajul Quran International (MQI) Ulema Council has come out in defence of the late Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, stressing that he had not committed blasphemy and the religious forces’ movement for the release of his assassin, Malik Mumtaz Qadri, was being waged without necessary academic research and recourse to the Islamic knowledge.
“Salmaan Taseer’s statement did not amount to blasphemy since great Muslim scholars and jurists had categorically specified all the statements that amount to blasphemy of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), and Taseer’s statement should be examined in the light of those before proceeding further in this regard,” said Farhat Hussain Shah, nazim of MQI Ulema Council, while replying to queries at a press conference in the Lahore Press Club on Thursday.
To another query, he criticised all those campaigning for Qadri’s release, saying “they are waging the movement without proper academic research on the relevant Sharia laws dealing with blasphemy of the Prophet (PBUH).” The stance of the MQI, which also adheres to the Barelvi school of thought, comes as a stark contrast to the rest of the Barelvi religious parties which are waging a countrywide movement for revoking the death sentence awarded to Qadri by an anti-terrorism court and demanding his release.

Qadri’s supporters vow not to give up
LAHORE – The Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat (TTNR) has resolved to continue its movement for the release of Mumtaz Husain Qadri, the killer of former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, until the goal was achieved. At a meeting held at Mansoora on Thursday, the TTNR steering committee meeting chaired by Liaqat Baloch decided to stage demonstrations outside the court hearing Qadri’s appeal.
A special committee was set up to contact lawyers on the occasion. Public meetings and seminars would he held across the country to strengthen the movement and to earn public backing for the cause. TTNR convener and JUP chief Sahibzada Abul Khair Muhammad Zubair, Tehrik-e-Hurmat-e-Rasool Convener Maulana Amir Hamza, Ittehadul Ulema chief Maulana Abdul Malik, JUI-F’s Maulana Amjad Khan, Tanzeem-e-Islami’s Sheikh Muhammad Ayub and JI Karachi chief Muhammad Husain Mehnati attended the meeting. The meeting decided to hold seminars in all big cities for Qadri’s release.
The parties in the TTNR would hold a joint public meeting at Multan on October 18. Seminars would be held at Lahore and Karachi in November. Staff Report