Judge of Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC)-II, Pervaiz Ali Shah announced the verdict behind closed doors in high-security Central Jail Adiala after he found Qadri guilty of killing the then Punjab Governor. Heavy contingents of Police and Elite Commandos were deployed in and outside the jail in the wake of protests after the judgement.
Malik Mumtaz Qadri appeared before the ATC-II along with his defence lawyers Raja Shuja ur Rehman, Malik Rafiq and Tariq Dhamiyal while Saiful Malook represented prosecution. The learned judge while announcing the judgement, ruled that no one has the right to take law in his hands. "One cannot justify killing of any person on his own as the law of the land is meant for this purpose," he added.
"Keeping in view all the evidence and arguments of both sides, the court is handing down two-fold death penalty and Rs 200,000 as fine to Mumtaz Qadri for killing Salmaan Taseer," Pervaiz Ali Shah, the ATC judge said. He said if the defence lawyers want to go for appeal against the ATC judgement, they have seven days to file the same in the high court.
Soon after the judgement by ATC-II, Mumtaz Qadri was shifted to death cell in Central Jail, Adiala. After the judgement, a large number of supporters of Mumtaz Qadri and workers of different religious parties held protests against the judgement outside the prison. A demonstration was also held at Murree Road and both sides of the road were blocked from Moti Mahal to Committee Chowk as protestors were burning tyres.
Charged activists of religious parties attacked and destroyed the monument of Benazir Bhutto outside Liaqat Bagh. Different religious parties have announced 'Yaum-e-Muzammat' on Friday and called upon the government to take the decision back and release Mumtaz Qadri. They said if Qadri was not released, no religious party will support Pakistan Peoples' Party in next general elections.