Karachi: In the case against former Pakistani cricketer Khalid Latif, who posted a video threatening to kill Dutch MP Geert Wilders, prosecutors have urged him to be sentenced to 12 years in rigorous imprisonment.
Netherlands MP announced to hold a cartoon competition on Prophet Muhammad. Following Geert Wilders’s announcement, Islamists strongly condemned his announcement. Demonstrations were held in many parts of the world. People rioted in Pakistan too. Wilders received death threats and a price on his head. After this, Wilders canceled the cartoon competition. Former Pakistani cricketer Khalid Latif announced in a 2018 video that he would pay 21,000 euros ($23,000) to those who killed Geert Wilders, who had announced a cartoon contest about the Prophet Muhammad.
Dutch public prosecutors filed a complaint in court regarding the announcement. Khalid Latif was accused of inciting others to kill Wilders. It was argued in court that Khalid Latif made the announcement to get the cartoon contest canceled and to avenge Geert Wiltz’s anti-Islamic act.
In this regard, while arguing in the court, lawyer Keipers said, “Khalid Latif’s intention was to resort to violence and kill a human life. Also, silencing the Dutch representative. Thinking of killing someone for announcing a cartoon competition and insinuating that he will pay for it is punishable. Therefore, Latif should be sentenced to 12 years in prison,” he argued.
Khalid Latif did not appear in court during the proceedings. He is in Pakistan. Several media outlets tried to contact the Pakistan Embassy in The Hague in this regard but failed. Advocate Keipers said that he has tried to talk to Pakistan in this regard but failed.
“If the Dutch government wants to take any action in this matter, it should have a legal agreement with Pakistan, but it doesn’t. As a result, there is no justice for Latif’s death threats,” lawyer Geipers told the court. Wilders, who was in court at the time, said, “He still receives death threats. Is it right to put a price on his head for a cartoon contest? He cannot be silenced.” He has been under 24-hour security since 2004 for his criticism of Islam. They objected to this and condemned that a community should not be provoked unnecessarily.
In Khalid Latif video, a man tried to kill Wilders after asking for a price on Wilders’ head. The person, identified as Junaid from Pakistan, was arrested. A Dutch court later sentenced him to 10 years in prison. In this case, the verdict on the case of Pakistani cricketer Khalid Latif will be released on September 11.
Khalid Latif has played 5 ODIs and 13 T20Is for Pakistan. In 2017, he was banned for 5 years after he was found guilty of gambling in the Pakistan Super League tournament held in Dubai. He last played in 2016. His ban ended last year. Currently, Ladeep is coaching at the club level in Karachi.
