Session 13- Mumtaz Qadri case: Heroism or religious intolerance?

4^th January 2011, the day which massacred the right of freedom of speech and exposed the pitiless reality of religious intolerance and extremism in Pakistan.

Salman Taseer, former governor of Punjab was shot dead by his bodyguard Mumtaz Qadri in an open market. The only reason of his murder was that he was against the blasphemy law and declared it as “black law”. Qadri was also resented due to his support for Asia bibi. His death leads to another controversy where one part of the country mourns over his death while the other joys over Qadri’s bravery and depicts him as hero. Movements and campaigns were started in support of Qadri and to boycott the funeral of Taseer even the Imam rejected to leads his funeral prayer.

On October 2011, Anti-terrorist court sentenced Qadri’s death penalty for his act of spreading extremism, terror among the public as well as for Salman’s murder. However, the judgement of court angered certain people and even after 4 years the courts orders are not fulfilled due to some implicit forces which rules our country and law. The judges were also feared and reluctant to discuss the case and to condemn his act.   

Logically and morally, the court decision was right in a sense because he was trying to take the authority in his hands and convening the message that Pakistan is only for certain group of people. His act also breached the freedom of speech. Moreover, blasphemy is such a sensitive issue that needs clear understanding among the people otherwise such cases will keep on going where the victim is cursed and culprit is depicted as hero.