Mumtaz Qadri’s lawyer says “punishing blasphemer is a religious duty”

He also asked whether individuals had the authority to punish a blasphemer.

Further, the judge said that there are a number of precedents in the superior courts wherein individuals have leveled allegations of blasphemy on the basis of their personal grudges.

Justice Khosa also questioned whether the accused had approached the state against former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer.

In his response, the counsel for the accused who is also a former Lahore High Court judge, Nazir Akhtar said, “Punishing a blasphemer is a religious duty which has to be performed by everyone.”

“In 80 cases, courts have given punishment and in 40 cases individuals have taken steps against blasphemers,” Akhtar added.

During a hearing a day ago, Qadri’s lawyer said his client had acted on his own interpretation of the blasphemy law after being influenced by speeches of a religious scholar to assassinate ex-Punjab governor.