The Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC), Rawalpindi on Thursday remanded Mumtaz Qadri, the alleged killer of Governor Punjab Salman Taseer, in police custody for five days. The prosecution pleaded the court to hand over the accused to police on 10-day physical remand, however, ATC judge Muhammad Akram Awan granted only five-day remand of the accused.
The judge also directed the prosecution to ensure proper medical check up of Mumtaz Qadri from District Headquarter Hospital Rawalpindi. Qadri was presented before the special judge of ATC-1 Muhammad Akram Awan after he was brought to the court in armoured personnel carrier (APC) of Islamabad police escorted by over a dozen security vehicles. Heavy contingents of Punjab police and Elite Force were deployed in and outside the court. SSP Islamabad Tahir Alam Khan was leading the security team of Islamabad Police.
A large number of people including lawyers, students and political activists were present in the District Court premises, who chanting slogans in favour of Mumtaz Qadir. Lawyers showered flowers and rose petals on Qadri and many people kissed his face and hands in affection.
Over five hundred lawyers have signed the papers of attorney to appear before the court to defend Qadri, but a panel comprising President District Bar Association Malik Waheed Anjum, Sanaullah Zahid, Malik Jawad Khalid, Basharatullah, Ghulam Mustafa Kandwal and Abid Mughal appeared before the ATC.
During proceeding, Qadri confessed that he killed Taseer for his derogatory remarks about the blasphemy law. He said that he committed the crime on his own and neither any political or religious party nor any other group instigate him to do so.
Qadri informed the court that he was brutally tortured by investigators and was given electric shocks, adding that he was not allowed to sleep and was not being given any food.
The judge took serious note of the matter and ordered Islamabad Police to hold medical check up of Qadri in PIMS by doctors of the DHQ Hospital Rawalpindi.
Malik Waheed Anjum requested the court to allow the lawyers to have a separate meeting with Qadri, which was allowed and the lawyers met Qadri in judge's chamber for ten minutes.
During the meeting, Qadri showed them marks of police torture on his body. The lawyers urged the court to sent Qadri to jail on judicial remand.
SSP Islamabad Tahir Alam Khan requested the court to give 10-day physical remand of the accused. The Defence counsel Waheed Anjum objected that the accused Qadri confessed his crime and the arm used in the murder was also recovered from him so there is no need for physical remand.
Early in the morning, the Chief Commissioner Islamabad issued a notification to shift the ATC to Islamabad for hearing the case, but lawyers in Rawalpindi led by Waheed Anjum Advocate filed an application, pleading the court to declare the notification of the Chief Commissioner as illegal.
The special judge took serious note of the notification and declared it illegal, ordering the Islamabad police to produce Mumtaz Qadri before the court in Rawalpindi. The judge in his remarks said that even provincial or federal government has no authority to change the permanent seating of the court. After 20 minutes of court orders, Capital Police rushed to Rawalpindi to produce Mumtaz Qadri before the ATC-1.
Later Waheed Anjum told media that they would file a writ petition on Friday in Lahore High Court regarding the illegal confinement of Qadri's family members, pleading that his father, brothers and other relatives should be recovered safely.