The Sunni Tehrik (ST) on Wednesday staged a demonstration against the death sentence of Mumtaz Qadri who is involved in the murder of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer. The women wing of the ST organised the rally at Aabpara Chowk, which was attended around 60 women, including the widow of Mumtaz Qadri and his two children. Speaking on the occasion, Qadri’s widow said that the former governor committed blasphemy, so his son killed him. The protesters appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan to set aside the death sentence. The protesting women were of the view that if the verdict was not revoked, they would hold countrywide rallies against the government. The protesters displayed placards and banners bearing slogans in favour of Mumtaz Qadri and against the government and the late governor.
Meanwhile, Islamic Student Federation held a rally at Kohsar Market to express solidarity with Qadri. Addressing the rally’s participants, Jamia Islamia Principal Professor Zafar Jamali strongly defended Qadri’s act of killing Salman Taseer. “The late governor committed blasphemy and our ‘hero’ killed him,” he said. Moreover, ‘Gazi-e-Islam’ seminar was held in Chohar Harpaal, Rawalpindi. Speaking on the occasion, Rawalpindi Sunni Tehrik President Allama Tahir Iqbal Chishti demanded the rule of the Quran and Sunnah to save the nation from difficulties. He also demanded Qadri’s release. He said, “People have rejected the recent government because of injustices and its failure to end poverty.”
