The appeal of self-confessed killer Mumtaz Qadri has been granted, while innocent Aasia Bibi is still waiting for a hearing date.

Qadri has confessed to killing former Punjab Governor Salman Taseer over alleged blasphemy remarks, and has been granted leave to appeal his death sentence.

After hearing his lawyer’s arguments, the judges decided on five questions that needed to be answered – whether the governor had committed blasphemy, whether Qadri thought he had, if Qadri was motivated by religion, if Qadri confessed to the killing before the trial court then would it not attract the death sentence, and whether there were mitigating circumstances to reduce the sentence.

His appeal to be set for a date in October, Meanwhile, Aasia Bibi lodged a final successful appeal at the Supreme Court last November, but a date is yet to be fixed, but surprisingly Mumtaz Qadri’s appeal has already been fixed for hearing. Aasia Bibi has been charged under the blasphemy law and since 2010 is on death row. The Governor of Punjab Salmaan Taseer supported getting Aasia Bibi justice, but in January 2011 his own bodyguard, Qadri, killed him for supporting her.