Pakistani religious parties representing the Barelvi School have offered blood money to the family of slain Punjab governor Salman Taseer to pardon his killer Mumtaz Qadri.
Qadri, a former police commando, shot Taseer dead with his official gun in Islamabad in 2011 for criticising Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy law.
The blood money was offered after Islamabad High Court on Monday rejected his appeal against conviction by a lower court and upheld his death penalty.
Yesterday, leaders of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP), the Jamaat Ahle Sunnat, the Pakistan Sunni Tehreek and the Pakistan Sunni Alliance offered the blood money.
“We are ready to pay much more Khoonbaha (blood money) to the family of Salman Taseer (for Qadri’s release),” said Shabbir Abu Talib of the JUP.
According to Islamic jurisprudence, a killer can be pardoned by the legal heirs of the victim with or without taking blood money.
Salman Taseer’s eldest Shaan released a statement in which he completely ruled out accepting the proposal.
On behalf of my family, I would like to state in no unclear terms that any such offer will be taken as an affront to the memory of my father, who laid his life down for a principle. There shall be no discussion on the topic of blood money with me or any member of my family. Therefore the Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, the Jamaat Ahle Sunnat, the Pakistan Sunni Tehreek and the Pakistan Sunni Alliance are strongly requested not to entertain the thought of making such an offer.
Salman Taseer also had a relationship with celebrated Indian journalist Tavleen Singh, their son Aatish Taseer is a novelist.
(With PTI inputs)
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