Will Qadri’s Death Sentence be his End?
One of many gatherings in support of the murderer of Salmaan Taseer in early 2011. Qadri's supporters remain and are making noise again after the court-ordered death sentence for him was announced. Photo: AFP / file
An anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi passed a verdict yesterday that sentenced Governor Salmaan Taseer’s murderer to death.
Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri’s crime was doubly heinous: he not only showered bullets on a fellow human but also brought disrepute to Islam by claiming to represent the religion in the act. He has no remorse and he would do the same if given a second chance, he claims.
The Pakistani blogosphere is already replete with arguments in favour and against the death penalty. Many are happy that the brave Taseer family finally has closure. Others protest it as an attack on Islam.
Just hours after the verdict by Justice Syed Pervez Ali Shah, a protest was carried out in Lahore labelling Justice Shah a non-Muslim and making him the target of filthy outrage. “Jawaniyaan Luta’ain gey Mumtaz Qadri ko bachayein gey” (we will sacrifice our youth to save Mumtaz Qadri) was the newly found slogan of this group. The madness did not stop at this. A speaker at the protest offered five million rupees in exchange for the judge’s murder. “Any brave soul?” he questioned. Sunni Tehreek leadership did not surprise us one bit either. “This decision was made to please the Jewish lobby,” said Tehreek leader Sahibzada Ata-ur-Rehman.
Qadri is an iconic figure for the right-wing (bay)ghairat brigade. As such, his sentence is not the defeat of one man but that of a dangerous vision. What we must not forget, however, is that this deadly ideology will never be completely defeated without hitting at its roots.
Today, Pakistan has unfortunately become a factory of Qadris. Sentencing one Qadri will not rid us of the factory that now has franchises in all parts of the country and is aspiring to become a monster enterprise. Take this video for instance:
Mufti Hanif Qureshi, leader of the Shabab-e-Islami group, used the most vile language against Governor Taseer and invited his audience to kill him during a sermon, days before his assassination. “That rascal, scoundrel, apostate governor is uttering rubbish like a filthy dog,” he said. He went on to accuse Taseer of being a Sikh, showing his obvious contempt for non-Muslims. He accused the governor of blasphemy without any evidence and called for his murder. He made sure his message was clear to all, having the crowd echo the words “death” and “murder” multiple times.
In this case, Mufti Hanif Qureshi was the factory and Qadri the product. And mind you, there are thousands of these factories all over the country that have taken us captive. It is these that must be closed down – and quick.
It is very regretful that our authorities keep ignoring the open expression of hate and incitement to violence by so-called religious clergy. Instances to this effect are numerous and unending. For decades, extremist clergymen have been making calls for violence against Ahmadi and Shia Muslims and non-Muslim minorities within Pakistan. The state has remained silent. It has failed to protect its citizens against evident terrorism. If anything, it has – through its discriminatory laws – promoted such behaviour and endorsed extremism in the process.
In an independent state with an independent judiciary, no one must be allowed to take the law in their hands. Hate speech must be checked. Speech that is hateful, threatening, abusive, or insulting, and which targets a person on account of skin colour, race, ethnicity and religion, must be forbidden. Unless this is taken seriously and unless hate factories such as Mufti Hanif Qureshi are checked and stopped from spreading hate and instigating open violence on Pakistani soil, a mere death sentence will not change us for the better.
So, coming back to the question will Qadri’s sentence mean his end? No, it won’t. But it is definitely a bold step towards that end. If followed up with the institution of more stringent laws against hate speech and the instigation of violence, it could be the basis of vital change. Pakistan Zindabad!
The opinions expressed in this article and the views shared by readers in the comment forum below do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance or policies of Newsline.
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Very well written. Yes there are many factories in Pakistan who are making killers murdurer in the name of Islam.
Please wake-up Pakistanis. What is happening in your country in the name of Islam? Is this the teaching of Islam to kill innocent peoples and incourages people for killing the innocent peoples? The Mullahs who are claiming that we are the true believers of Islam are ruining the teaching of Islam by the wrong interpretation of Islam. They are the worst enemies of Islam. Islam is the religion of peace, love and tolerance. Are we forgetting the life of our Beloved, Respected Holy Prophet (peace & blessing of Allah be upon him). What he did at the time of the conquest of Mecca, how he treated the Meccans. Was he killed anyone on the conquest of Mecca. Did he not forgave every one that day even the woman name Hinda who disrespect the dead body of His uncle Hazrat Hamza. Is there any example of his revenge to any human being? Is there Any Blasphemy Law in Holy Quran or was enforced in his life time or during the time of His khalifa (successors)? He was the mercy for all mankind (Rahmat-ul-lilalami) Dear Pakistanis, May Allah gives you wisdom and strength to fight against the falsehood and follow the true teaching of Islam. May Allah Save Pakistan? Visit to www.alislam.org to learn true teaching of
Article written by Kasif Chaudhry states a clear point that if these illiterate and murder preaching mullahs are not stopped immediately by legal means then there is no end to un-just killings in Pakistan or any where.
Sad thing is that this mullah was spewing filth and murder against another Muslim. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) preached peace and harmony among humans (all people around him were Jews, Christians and non-believers) and he never ordered murder of any.
Hanif Qureshi or any other mullah who spews such filth can not be associated with Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Satan is an open enemy of humans as stated in the Holy Quran and only a mullah with satan qualities will order murder of other humans.
It’s a sad fact that trend is rising in Pakistan whereby people take law in their own hand and feel themselves justified in deciding fate of others. It’s so tragic that these people justify taking life of others in name of the Prophet who came to give life to humanity. I wonder how can they forget the life examples of Prophet Muhammad full of forgiveness.
And it’s so amazing people can still openly give fatwa to take lives of others. Someone should question the man who offered a prize money to harm the judge who made the decision , that why he himself is hesitant to do if he thinks it so noble cause, instead of offering prize to others ?
Ahmadis have long been victim of the same state sanctioned persecution in Pakistan when they spread message of peace. Find more at www.alislam.org
Salman Taseer murder was the first time a political figure was murdered for his religious views. Many more were slain before and after him for their religious views. Islam is the most profitable business in Pakistan. These people use Islam for their personal gain and propagation of their own views in the name of Islam. These people have not and never will come to table for a discussion as they know Quran and life of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) will not support their views and arguments. Take the video in the article and ask this Molvi since when is cursing allowed and if he can give any historic incident where cursing in mosque was done by Holy Prophet (s.a.w) or his successors. These people deserve a severe punishment as per the law of land. Islam asks its followers to respect the law of land and if they are Muslims then it is binding on them to do so too. For more information about the true teachings of Islam please visit http://www.alislam.org
Some constructive, thought-provoking criticism:
While I agree with the author of this blog post, what remains a fact is that these mullahs quote verses from the Quran and the life of Mohammed to justify violence. So isn’t that the source of the problem?
No offence, but if you read history….unbiased history, you will see that the life of Mohammed is replete with such instances of violence against those who differed with him in opinion . Mohammed was a 6th century tribal-leader, a man of his times at best. The problem arises when people consider him the best example for mankind and follow his life literally. This is what causes such conflict in a society.
Excellent article by kashif chaudhry.Pakistani government and public has been captured by so called muslim mullahs for many years.Educated people understand that whatever these mullahs are doing in the name of islam is wrong but nobody has courage to stop them or atleast speak about this issue.Even these religious clergy can lie about Holy Qura,an’s teachings like mufti Hanif Qureshi said in that video.The Holy Quraan’s teaching is very clear that Whosoever killed a person…it shall be as if he had killed all mankind(ch.5 v.33).Our beloved Holy Prophet(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him)has mentioned in his last pilgrimage that Allah made the lives,property and honour of every man sacred.To take any man’s life or property or attack on his honour is as unjust and wrong as to violate the sacredness of this day,this month and this territory.He gave us message that muslims are as brothers and who attacks on another muslim,he is not with us like he is not muslim anymore.so being a muslim we should respect other human beings,s life,property and honour.Pakistani people should apply true teachings of Holy Qura,an and islam in their lives.Nobody has a right to promote someone to kill innocent people in the name of islam.To find the true teachings of islam please visit www.alislam.org
their were talks to the effect that Taseer’s murderer would not be punished and the matter would be hushed in some time. This death sentence seems to be a ray of hope; hope that Pakistan would take a turn for a peaceful fair state. Rather peacefullest and fairest.
How ironic…Prophet Muhammad SAW who himself forgave everyone…even that woman who would throw garbage on him every day…but these so-called followers of the prophet go around killing others.
For true islam, www.alislam.org