Rawalpindi on RED ALERT as thousands gather for Mumtaz Qadri's funeral

RAWALPINDI (Staff Report) - Heavy contingents of law enforcement agencies have been deployed in Rawalpindi to maintain and order situation as thousands of people have gathered at Liaqat Bagh to offer funeral prayer of Mumtaz Qadri.

On Monday, the convicted murderer of former Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, Mumtaz Qadri, was executed in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail.

According to media reports, all of the educational institutions located in Rawalpindi have been closed amid tense environment which has taken over the city since Monday morning.

The district administration has deployed heavy police detail at Liaqat Bagh and other important sites in the city. Key entries to Islamabad have also been closed by the administration.

The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Rawalpindi has cancelled papers of matriculation part II examination to be held on Tuesday (today). According to board officials, the papers have been cancelled only in sixty five examination centres of Rawalpindi city.

Meanwhile in view of a possible backlash, the president’s family has been moved from Karachi to the Presidency in Islamabad.

Mumtaz, a former police commando, assassinated Taseer in Islamabad’s Kohsar Market on January 4, 2011 for his support to a blasphemy accused. An Anti-Terrorism Court convicted and condemned him to death – a ruling also upheld by the Islamabad High Court and Supreme Court.

He had filed a mercy plea before President Mamnoon Hussain after Supreme Court maintained his conviction in October last year.