Sermons 'inspired' Pakistani assassin

The bodyguard who murdered liberal Pakistani governor Salman Taseer said today he was inspired by sermons from two Islamic clerics.

Police said they were now hunting the two men who preached to 26-year-old Mumtaz Qadri, who said he killed the politician for criticising laws that carry the death penalty for insulting Islam.

Mr Taseer’s death nearly a week ago shocked many around the world, but tens of thousands of Pakistanis have expressed support for his killer.

That support – and the lack of criticism of the assassination by many politicians – shows the increasing influence of hardline Islamist ideology in Pakistan, a key ally the war against Taliban and al-Qaida.

The Pope today spoke out against the blasphemy laws , saying they should be repealed because they were used as a pretext for violence against non-Muslims.

Human rights activists have also said the laws are used to settle rivalries and persecute religious minorities.

Governor Taseer had called them “black” laws, but he was not demanding their repeal. Instead, he wanted them reformed so they would not be misused.

Mr Taseer became involved in the case of a Christian woman, Asia Bibi, who he said was wrongly sentenced to death for insulting Islam’s prophet, Mohammed.

Qadri told a judge today in written evidence that he decided to kill Mr Taseer after he attended a gathering on December 31 organised by Shahab-e-Islam, a small Islamist group that operated in his neighbourhood in Rawalpindi, just outside the capital, Islamabad.

He said speeches given by a cleric leading the group, Qari Hanif, and another member, Ishtiaq Shah, played a major role in his decision.

Police decided to put Qadri before the judge a day before he was due to appear to avoid attracting the crowds who have shown up for his previous court appearances.

In his last appearance, supporters showered him with rose petals, kissed his cheek and shouted in his favour.

Tens of thousands of people marched through the southern port city of Karachi on Sunday to oppose any change to the blasphemy laws and many expressed support for Mr Taseer’s killer, chanting “Courage and bravery, Qadri, Qadri”.