Islamabad: A Pakistani court on Wednesday deferred
the indictment of the police guard who assassinated Punjab
Governor Salmaan Taseer last month as the prosecution could
not provide some documents to defence lawyers.
Mumtaz Qadri has confessed that he shot and killed Taseer
on January 4 because he was angered by the politician`s
opposition to the blasphemy law.
Qadri`s indictment could not take place as planned since
the prosecution had not provided his lawyers with some police
statements.
The anti-terrorism court conducting Qadri`s trial fixed
the next hearing for February 4.
Police are yet to determine whether Qadri acted alone or
was part of a wider conspiracy. Reports have said Qadri told
his colleagues in the Elite Force, a police unit that guards
VIPs, that he intended to kill Taseer.
Religious hardliners have rallied in support of Qadri.
Around 100 people gathered outside the heavily guarded
Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where Qadri`s trial is being
conducted, and demanded his release.
Qadri was showered with rose petals at the earlier court
hearings, causing outrage among liberals and civil society
activists.
PTI
