On January 4, 2011, moderate Pakistani governor Salmaan Taseer was assassinated in Islamabad by his security guard, Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri. His guard disagreed with Taseer’s opposition to Pakistan’s blasphemy law.
Taseer had publicly defended a Christian woman who was accused of blasphemy against Islam. His bodyguard killed him for this.
In February, Qadri’s admirers brought him Valentine’s cards and flowers.
Pakistani police officer receives flowers and Valentine’s Day cards for Mumtaz Qadri, the confessed killer of a liberal Pakistani governor, given by students during a rally out side the Adiala Jail where Qadri’s special court hearing held, Monday, Feb. 14, 2011 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Qadri pleaded guilty to murder, telling a judge he didn’t regret gunning the politician down because he killed ‘an apostate’ as required under his interpretation of Islamic law, lawyers said. (AP/Anjum Naveed)
This week Pakistani Muslims held a strike after Mumtaz Qadri was given the death sentence.