IHC admits Qadri's plea against death sentence

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday admitted the appeal against Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri's death sentence for hearing, and has issued notice to the State.

The divisional bench of the Islamabad High Court, comprising Chief Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman and Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan conducted the proceedings of Mumtaz Qadri's appeal against death sentence filed by Lahore High Court's former chief justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif.

Chief Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rahman said that the death sentence awarded to Mumtaz Qadri "will not be executed until the fate of his appeal is decided."

During the hearing, counsel for Qadri, Khawaja Muhammad Sharif requested to allow Ulema in court's proceedings as they want to witness hearing, but Chief Justice refused saying "we could not allow them because the general public will also ask for the same.

Earlier, Qadri had filed an appeal against his death sentence awarded to him by an Anti Terrorism Court in Rawalpindi on October 1.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011