Pakistan ex-cricketer sentenced to 12 years in prison for inciting murder of Dutch MP Geert Wilders

Former Pakistan international cricketer Khalid Latif offered US$22,500 for the head of Wilders in an online video

It is extremely unlikely Latif, who was convicted in absentia, will serve his sentence, with Dutch authorities seeking in vain to question him

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Dutch PVV leader Geert Wilders attends a criminal case in the court of Schiphol. The criminal case hearing is against the Pakistani cricketer Khalid Latif, who is said to have offered money in a video for the murder of Wilders, a member of Dutch Parliament. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 6:04pm, 11 Sep 2023

A Dutch court on Monday sentenced former Pakistan international cricketer Khalid Latif to 12 years in prison for urging the murder of anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders.

Latif, 37 – who captained Pakistan at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou – offered €21,000 (US$22,500) for the head of Wilders in an online video after the firebrand lawmaker sought to arrange a competition for cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

“It was not a stretch to think that somebody around the world would have taken heed of the call to kill Mr Wilders,” presiding judge G. Verbeek told the court.

“The accused knew this and his call fuelled the fire to have Wilders killed.”

It is extremely unlikely that Latif, who was convicted in absentia, will serve his sentence. Dutch authorities have sought in vain to question Latif over the case and requested legal help from Pakistan, also to no avail.

Pakistan’s Khalid Latif bats during their ICC World Twenty20 2016 cricket match against Australia in Mohali, India. Photo: AP

Wilders cancelled the cartoon contest after protests broke out in Pakistan and he was inundated with death threats. He has been under 24-hour state protection since 2004.