Pakistan court upholds death penalty in governor's slaying, but throws out terrorism charges
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Supporters of Pakistan's Mumtaz Qadri, a former police commando who killed Punjab's governor Salman Taseer, block a highway to protest against a court decision in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, March 9, 2015. A Pakistani court has upheld the death sentence of a man convicted of killing a provincial governor he had accused of blasphemy. Placards read "Prophet we are ready to render our lives for your sanctity." (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash) (The Associated Press)
A Pakistani court has upheld the death sentence of a man convicted of killing a provincial governor he had accused of blasphemy.
But the two-judge panel in Islamabad on Monday threw out the terrorism charges against him.
Mumtaz Qadri, a former police commando, was supposed to be protecting Gov. Salman Taseer in 2011 when he shot and killed him. Qadri's defense was that Taseer opposed Pakistan's so-called "blasphemy laws."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Qadri was convicted and sentenced in 2011.
It is unclear whether Qadri will be put to death as Pakistan has thousands of people on death row but also has a moratorium on carrying out executions. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif partially lifted the moratorium in December, allowing it to be used in terrorism-related cases.