LAHORE, Oct 5: More than three dozen religio-political groups assembled under the banner of Tehrik Namoos-i-Risalat on Wednesday rejected the verdict of an anti-terrorism court against Mumtaz Qadri, the assassin of Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, and pledged to oppose it in streets throughout the country.

Tehrik convener and JUP-Noorani president Sahibzada Abul Khair Muhammad Zubair said Raymond Davis, the killer of three Pakistanis, was set free but Qadri was given death “to please Jews and Christians”.

Jamaat-i-Islami chief Syed Munawwar Hasan described the verdict against Qadri as an outcome of the secular environment prevailing in the country and announced protests against it all over the country on Friday.

Jamaatud Dawa ameer Hafiz Saeed said the court ruling was part of the global war against Islam and called for national unity to give a strong message to the enemies of Islam.

Dawa leader Maulana Amir Hamza said a committee consisting of Qazis (judges of Islamic law) should be formed to try Qadri in line with the Sharia.

JUI-F information secretary Maulana Amjad Khan said the verdict was aimed at pleasing the US.