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The real essence of Salmaan Taseer
An anecdotal account of the man that he was.
An anecdotal account of the man that he was. IMAGE COURTESY SAEED AKHTAR
A little over 30 years ago I met Salmaan Taseer in Dubai. I was straight out of law school and working for a US-Pakistani firm in Dubai. There were few people a 22-year-old could find much commonality with. Salmaan was different that way. He was interested in and interesting to many. We would meet up for dinner at least once a fortnight and chat about everything, politics, people, work, movies, travel, everything. He was the quintessential open book, difficult for some to read and understand but those who did never wanted this book to end.
At the surface he was a very successful man who built empires. He did but he also left them to others as he pursued his greatest passion – politics. When I met him he had written his book on Mr Bhutto and was pretty much persona non grata in General Zia’s Pakistan. How huge an admirer of Mr Bhutto’s I was yet to discover. One evening I had gone to dinner, Salmaan said that someone who had just arrived from London would be joining us. A short while later the bell rang and a young, very exhausted Tariq Islam entered. He was Mr Bhutto’s nephew and had been living in exile in various countries as Zia was not particularly welcoming. His UK visa had run out, he had no job and nowhere to go. Salmaan heard about his predicament and called him in London saying you don’t know me but come to Dubai I have a job for you. Tariq arrived a few days later. It would be many years before I discovered that Tariq and Salmaan met for the first time that day. In fact when Salmaan died so many similar tales surfaced. That to me was the real essence of the man – kind and compassionate to those truly in need. It was that compassion and kindness that took Salmaan to meet Mukhtaran Mai immediately after being sworn in as governor and assure her of his support. And it was that kindness and compassion that took him to Sheikhupura Jail to meet Aasia Bibi and explain to her that she needed to put her thumbprint on a petition for mercy. He took the petition to the president, who procrastinated, the religious right protested, and the petition was never signed.
The most hideous crimes are committed daily. Duly shocked, we condemn them and then file them away in some deep recess of the mind so we aren’t plagued by images and are able to sleep at night. But not everyone is so lucky. In fact most are not. Grief is personal and tragedy sits in every home. It is personal to all those touched by it and because there is so much tragedy, as a means of survival, we try to avoid being touched by another’s grief lest we are sucked over and over again into tragedy so we eventually become immune to it. We each need to grieve our own and respect another’s grief.
But ever so often the tragedy extends beyond the life that has been lost and centres on something bigger, something that endures long after we all are gone. Salmaan’s murder was a terrible tragedy for my sister, her children, our entire family. The grief and shock was compounded by the reaction of a small but violent and intimidating segment of our society who seek to even take your right to grieve. What’s worse is that this small and violent group is going unchallenged and as a result is using its voice and aggressive street presence to grow and occupying the space we seem to be prepared to cede so easily.
On January 4, 2011 at around 4:15 on a lovely winter afternoon as we entered a new year we thought was full of promise and hope, Salmaan Taseer the serving Governor of Punjab was murdered, by a man assigned to protect him, ironically for speaking out for the most disadvantaged section of society. The section of society his party sees as its constituents: poor, Christian and a woman. Gunned down in cold blood in full view of dozens of people. Everyone including the government ran for cover, giving that small group of people licence to take to the streets to condone the murder and to publicly promise the same for anyone who tried to speak out.
Years of teaching hate and intolerance paid off. Pakistan was quickly divided among those who could not hide their satisfaction at the murder of a man who had spoken out and the rapidly shrinking segment of those who believe that tolerance is the only way forward. But Salmaan died as he lived by his belief in natural justice and what is right. As he never tired of quoting Munir Niazi – kujsheher de lok vi zalim san kujsaanu maran da shok vi si (Yes, my fellow citizens were oppressive; but yes, I too had a death wish).
The writer is a lawyer and hosts “24 Seven” on Business Plus
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2012.
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Reader Comments (34)
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A refresher I must say!
Well written!
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What he was finally was a man who spoke up on behalf of blasphemy against our dear Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Even if Westernized Pakistanis don’t agree, people like him will always meet such end where Muslims live.
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any idea what happened to his son? anybody in pakistan cares?
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A Brave leader.
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Taseer’s murder was a landmark murder. It silenced all the people who even dared to speak against fanaticism. Today, followers of darkness are bolder than ever. Murder of Saleem Shahzad and Dr. Baqar also tell volumes about how this society deals with truth and honesty. Though I personally strongly disagreed to Mr. Taseer’s views but I would never have liked any harm done to him because dissenting voices are the spirit of a society.Recommend
Nicely written
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Rest in peace Sir. You are a true hero who stood up for the weak.Recommend
@TrueMuslim when will you learn that words don’t kill. Nothing said against any religious figure warrants the cold blooded murder of a human being. When will you get that through your head? I think all mullahs should be hunted down and killed but does that entitle me to take the law into my own hands?Recommend
Excellent refresher! We as a society have failed. Every man in the street can have his own law, can take action according to his wishes. There is absolutely no state when it comes to heinous crimes like these. May Allah help the and put some brains in their heads.
@TrueMuslim,
I dont think you have the right to judge whether he was at fault or not. The irony is that there is not even a departmental prosecution on the murderer, he should be hanged simply because he was not able to perform the duty he was assigned to. I think he was eating Haraam by being dishonest to his duties.Recommend
@TrueMuslim
He only talked of reforms in man-made blasphemy law. He didn’t commit any blasphemy. Only 3 out of 57 Muslim countries prescribe death punishment for blasphemy; majority of the Muslims of the world disagree with our interpretation of this law.
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@TrueMuslim:
Inalilah-e-Waina Ilaihay Rajayoun
And there InshaAllah all will be judged accordingly, as to what Allah will find just.
That is what will guide and comfort me, as a Muslim, against the Islam the True Muslims are practicing these days
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@TrueMuslim:
“people like him will always meet such end where Muslims live”
I agree with you on that but I have this feeling that you are happy about what happened to salman taseer.
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@TrueMuslim and @faraz
THe blasphemy law is a man made law. No human has th right to take the life of another. If one has any issue, the right way to resolve it is to go through the courts. Even if our courts take ages to come to a verdict, that is the path to be taken. Each of us will be held accountable for our action in the hereafter. Those who condone the murder will also be held to account. If Salmaan Taseer was wrong, he too will be held accountable.
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He died the death of a Shaheed by fighting for a righteous case in the best traditions of Islam. He gave his life to fight for the rights of a weak, poor Christian woman wrongly accused and oppressed. Whatever Taseers past sins his great act of virtue will insha’allah stand him in good stead when he faces his Rabb.Recommend
The question to be answered is: Is it acceptable and perfectly alright to kill someone because you disagree with what they say? We have many serious issues that need to be addressed and we need to be able to talk amongst each other without fear.Recommend
His murder was a great tragedy for the country. May his soul rest in peace; may justice be done and be seen to be done in the case and may everyone who directly or through instigation caused this tragedy to happen meet the justice dispensed by the Providence.
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@TrueMuslim: Salam Taseer’s acts were quintessentially Islamic, expressions of a true Muslim. He lived as a secularist but he died as a hero of true Islam. Ayesha Tammy Haq! You should be proud of him and your sister, too.Recommend
May God bless you Great Man , Great Human being .
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@faraz
All laws are man made. God made laws are the one which cannot be disobeyed like gravity, inertia etc.
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What True Muslim says sadly reflects the state of ignorance and darkness that surrounds us. In the name of religion which means “peace”, what greater tragedy than to have those among us who consider deprieving someone’s life on an issue that is not even properly understood, leave aside an enlightened approach.
In his life, I never admired the late Salmaan Taseer, and never imagined doing so ever. He proved me so terribly wrong with his cause.
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To stand up for your beliefs and state the truth (however unpopular with the majority) is the core of Islam.Recommend
Well done. Good choice of word discoursing about this vigilant man.
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Salmaan Taseer openly flouted Islam’s laws. This had already made him unpopular in an Islamic country (which he was supposedly serving). When he again openly supported a lady convicted of blasphemy and even wanted to repeal the blasphemy laws, then that became the last straw which broke the camel’s back. The public’s patience ran over with Salmaan. He met an end similar to Gaddafi (The patience of Gaddafi’s people also ran over and they lynched him)Recommend
@ True Muslim
When these Mullahz will hurt any of your relatives, friends or you (God Forbids) on the basis of their own interpretation of Islam, I would like you to appear again at ET and comment with the same stance. Wrong interpretation of Blasphemy is just an example, they falsely interpret lots of social and even personal issues with same degree of emotional & psychological states, with a prop of distorted interpretations & references- most of the time.
You are a True Muslim, can you quote any Quranic Verse in support of your extreme view? Or any Hadith? (Hadith with valid reference and not referenced story) NO- YOU CAN’T. Because Islam does not teach such violence. I can quote you many of them, but its not the platform for this.
Illeterate Mullahz have damaged the image of Islam more than anyone else & have been spreading the virus of this new type of terrorism, from which nobody can be saved one day-including you !!!!!
Mullahz have never been in power to govern country, so they have been controlling the minds and hearts of masses (illiterate masses) to run their bread & butter- they have introduced their dress code, educational system, social norms, culture etc to form their own Identity & “Industry”. Now to make one child a mullah is also a profession (you can’t imagine how much these naat khwan and modern scholars are earning nowadays). Your extreme views just prove yourself a stakeholder of this “Industry”.
So wake up- read some Quranic Translation, Aswa Hasna, Hadith and try to get some direct & true knowledge to set a direction for your poor self.
Iqbal said to wake people like you up !
“ilfaz o myni mein tafawat nahi lekin
mullah ki azan aur, mujahid ki azan aur
parwaz hai dono ki isi ek fiza mein
krgis ka jahan aur, shaheen ka jahan aur”Recommend
I met ST few times in his Gulberg office, where he loved watching Business TV while doing his normal official duties. He was such an impressive person who only spoke from his heart. We surely are very unfortunate people that instead of appreciating people like him, we are killing these outstanding heros. I do not see anybody in Pakistan with his caliber.
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@TrueMuslim:
You are ignorant. He was against a wrong law and not against our Prophet. Read the QuranRecommend
very brave man he was real Person . he is shaheed .
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Ham jo tareek rahon main maary gaye… R.I.P Mr.Salman Taseer
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RIP Salman Taseer!! I’ve never met you in my life but I’ll always tell my children and grandchildren that there was a man in Pakistan who stood up against the might of his time and didn’t care even about his own life and his family! My regards to you sir!!
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Truly a very brave man! Can you name anybody in Pakistan with same caliber, I very seriously doubtRecommend
LOL – Zalim Singh is asking about “care”
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@True_Muslim
Exactly. Good people will always achieved the prestigious position of Sahadat when they stand bravely in front of ignorance and bigotary.
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Salman Taseer tried to protect minority woman. Dr. Abdul Salam Nobel prize winner was a minority. We Pakistanis are doomed when we can not give due credit because some one protects a minority or is a minority…….
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Salmaan Taseer did exactly what I imagine our beloved Prophet (pbuh) would have done in such a situation: He went to protect a poor, helpless Christian woman who he believed was wrongly convicted. Islam is all about peace, love, compassion, justice and knowledge. Quadri, the killer of Salmaan Taseer, and his supporters, many from the legal profession, seem to espouse none of these five cardinal principals which our beloved Prophet steadfastly preached and himself lived by. My friends, read and understand the essence of the Quran and study the life of our Prophet before passing judgements in matters of.Islam.
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