Tag: Salmaan Taseer

Qadri verdict a ‘victory over terrorism’

October 14, 2015 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Mumtaz Qadri, Salmaan Taseer, Taliban

The apex court in Pakistan has kept intact the death sentence of a man who murdered the former governor of the Punjab for seeking reforms in the blasphemy law and supporting Asia Bibi, a Christian woman condemned to death for allegedly committing blasphemy. The governor, Salmaan Taseer, was shot and . . . Read More

Pakistan: Qadri’s death sentence upheld

October 7, 2015 Pakistan Blasphemy, Mumtaz Qadri, Pakistan, Punjab, Salmaan Taseer

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of Mumtaz Qadri, a police bodyguard who killed the politician he was supposed to protect because he had criticised Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws. Salman Taseer, the Governor of the state of Punjab, was shot dead in January 2011. Qadri was convicted of . . . Read More

Charges relaxed for murderer of Asia Bibi defender

March 9, 2015 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Mumtaz Qadri, Pakistan, Prophet Muhammad, Salmaan Taseer, Women

When Mumtaz Qadri confessed to the 2011 murder of Pakistani politician Salman Taseer, he said he did it because the Punjab governor had supported a Christian woman, Aasiya Noreen (also known as Asia Bibi), facing the death penalty for blasphemy. Qadri, who was Taseer’s bodyguard, was himself sentenced to death, . . . Read More

Pakistan court upholds death penalty for Asia Bibi despite serious legal loophole in trial

October 17, 2014 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Salmaan Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti, Sheikhupura, USA

The first Christian woman to be sentenced to death under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws had her appeal rejected by the High Court in Lahore on Thursday. Aasiya Noreen, commonly known as Asia Bibi, received the death penalty in 2010 after she allegedly made derogatory comments about the Prophet Mohammed during an . . . Read More

Pakistan Supreme Court confirms decision to drop blasphemy case

January 16, 2013 Pakistan Blasphemy, Islamabad, Pakistan, Paul Bhatti, Punjab, Quran, Rawalpindi, Rimsha Masih, Salmaan Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti

The Pakistan Supreme Court on Tuesday threw out an appeal to reopen a blasphemy case against a Christian teen who had been accused of burning pages containing verses from the Quran. Rimsha Masih had been acquitted of the charges in November by the High Court in Islamabad. The lower court’s decision was appealed . . . Read More

Pakistan court clears Rimsha; location remains secret as risk remains

November 20, 2012 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Islamabad, Mumtaz Qadri, Pakistan, Paul Bhatti, Prophet Muhammad, Punjab, Quran, Rawalpindi, Rimsha Masih, Salmaan Taseer

The case against Rimsha Masih, the teenage Pakistani Christian girl, has today been dropped by the court in the Pakistani capital Islamabad. Rimsha, who was arrested in August on suspicion of desecrating Islamic texts, was originally charged in an adult court with blasphemy; there the penalty was life imprisonment. The . . . Read More

Rimsha leaves Pakistan jail, reunited with family, government says

September 7, 2012 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Children, Islamabad, Mumtaz Qadri, Paul Bhatti, Prophet Muhammad, Punjab, Quran, Rimsha Masih, Salmaan Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti, Women

Under heavy security, Rimsha Masih, the teenage Christian Pakistani girl accused of blasphemy, was whisked out of jail Saturdy to a waiting helicopter that government officials said took her to rejoin her family.The Pakistani news agency Dawn reported Rimsha, left Adiala Jail wering a green shirt and pants, and entered an armored . . . Read More

Talk of violence against Rimsha worries her lawyer

August 31, 2012 Pakistan Blasphemy, Children, Islamabad, Lahore, Minorities, Mumtaz Qadri, Pakistan, Rimsha Masih, Salmaan Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti

Confident on Wednesday of Rimsha Masih’s release, her lawyer was apprehensive Thursday after a prosecutor hinted strongly at the likelihood of violence if she is freed. “This girl is guilty,” said Rao Abdur Raheem, a lawyer for the man who has accused the girl of blasphemy against Islam. “If the . . . Read More

Bhatti murder case in Pakistan increasingly murky

May 25, 2012 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Minorities, Pakistan, Paul Bhatti, Punjab, Rawalpindi, Salmaan Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti, Taliban

The investigation into the murder of Pakistan’s only cabinet-level Christian, Shahbaz Bhatti, has become mired amid suspicions of a possible cover-up, sources said. Lax investigations, a series of freed suspects and lack of coordination across law enforcement organizations have stalled the case following the March 2, 2011 slaying of the . . . Read More

Pakistani mother condemned for ‘blasphemy’ allegedly beaten

October 20, 2011 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Islamabad, Minorities, Mumtaz Qadri, Pakistan, Prisons, Salmaan Taseer, Sheikhupura

A female prison officer assigned to provide security for a Christian mother of five who was sentenced to death on “blasphemy” charges beat her earlier this month, sources said. Sources in Pakistan’s Sheikhupura District Jail said Asia Noreen, also known as Asia Bibi, was beaten on Oct. 5 by a . . . Read More

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