Pak ATC shocked over ‘absence of prosecution lawyer’ in Taseer murder case
January 25th, 2011 - 12:39 pm ICT by ANIRawalpindi, Jan 25(ANI): The anti-terrorism court hearing the Salmaan Taseer assassination case has expressed surprise over the absence of any prosecution lawyer in the case.
Hearing the case in Pakistan’s Adiala Jail, the ATC directed the investigators to ensure the presence of a prosecution lawyer on the next hearing, the Daily Times reports.
Late Punjab Governor Taseer’s assassin Malik Mumtaz Qadri’s trial will be held in the jail owing to security reasons.
After Kohsar police submitted their investigation report to the court, the judge distributed its copies to the Elite Force constable and his lawyers, and said the accused would formally be indicted on the next date of hearing- on February 1.
In the investigation report, the police have mainly relied on the confessional statement of Qadri, who had admitted to killing Taseer on January 4 after he was instigated by the speeches of two prayer leaders in his locality of Muslim Town on December 31.
Qadri said he was angry over Taseer’s remarks about the country’s blasphemy law.
It is noteworthy that the liberal politician had supported the release of Pakistani-Christian woman Asia Bibi, who has been sentenced to death on blasphemy charges.
The authorities have cited about 40 prosecution witnesses in the investigation report, the majority comprising of Taseer’s other security guards, Islamabad police officers and the doctors who carried out the late governor’s postmortem. (ANI)
- Pak Court dismisses plea seeking quashing of FIR, ATC trial against Taseer's assassin - Jan 21, 2011
- Salman Taseer's killer remanded to police custody for a day - Jan 06, 2011
- Taseer assassination case to be heard in-camera to prevent earlier media fiasco - Jan 18, 2011
- Qadri killed Pak Punjab Governor in his own capacity, says head of probe team - Feb 24, 2011
- Taseer's assassin should be punished only for violating law, not murder: Qari Hanif - Feb 15, 2011
- Pak court defers Salman Taseer assassin's indictment till February 4 - Feb 02, 2011
- Pak court directs jail authorities to give Taseer's assassin all amenities as per Prisons Act - Feb 11, 2011
- Continued absence of public prosecutor may see Salman Taseer assassin walk free - Feb 05, 2011
- Salman Taseer's killer remanded to five-day police custody - Jan 07, 2011
- Minorities committee asks Pak Govt. to pursue Taseer murder case 'properly' - Feb 20, 2011
- Salman Taseer's assassin unlikely to be prosecuted, says Qadri's brother - Jan 16, 2011
- Two more eyewitnesses record statements in Taseer assassination case - Mar 05, 2011
- Blasphemy accused Pak-Christian woman may be shifted to women-only jail for safety - Jan 18, 2011
- Governor Taseer's assassin produced before terrorism court - Jan 06, 2011
- Pak Punjab Governor's assassin appears in Rawalpindi court for trial hearing - Jan 24, 2011
Tags: bibi, blasphemy law, christian woman, confessional statement, constable, elite force, investigation report, liberal politician, locality, mumtaz, murder case, muslim town, police officers, postmortem, prayer leaders, prosecution lawyer, prosecution witnesses, salmaan, security guards, security reasons