Former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer has been honoured with the Martin Luther King Junior Peace Award for his efforts in promoting human rights, peace and humanity. PHOTO: FILE
Salmaan Taseer is the first non-American to receive the Martin Luther King Jr Award. Since 1979, the annual award honours those who make a significant contribution to the furtherance of Martin Luther King’s non-violent approach to eradicate racial, economic, and social injustice.
Taseer was assassinated in January 2011 for supporting a Christian woman, Aasia Bibi, who was falsely implicated in a blasphemy case, for which the court had awarded her death.
Addressing the gathering, Muslim-Christian Fellowship International chairman Zia Mahmood, who had presented the award, said that Salmaan Taseer was a man of courage who had always helped the depressed and the poor. He said that the sacrifices rendered by the late governor for the sake of peace, tolerance, social justice and human rights could not be forgotten.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2013.
COMMENTS (33)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Make the release of Salmaan's son a condition before talks with the Taliban. Can any sane person on any grounds justify holding the young lad? Release the boy.
@Iron hand: Good
@Jax: People admired him.Not only mullahs but the so called lawyers community too.
@Iqbal Ismail: He will be remembered and missed for ever.
@Ali Naqi Hamdani: Malala is already rewarded in many ways.
@Baba Ji: Obama is performing efficiently
Thanks God Phero of Egypt, Shadad of Arab and haman are not amongst us for they would have been declared Shaheed for bravely standing against God like Taseer for pennies.........
@Peeves Devil: Don't forget Dr. Afridi.
Yet another innocent victim of religious intolerance and rhetoric. A recognition well deserved.
Pakistanis who are admired all over the world and hated in their homeland. Malala Yusafzai Dr. Abdus Salam Salman Taseeer
It is good to honour people who support who humainty and human rights.And he was honoured for raising voice against the murder of christain girl. but unfortunate to say who cares for daily loss of dozen lives Innocent lives In Pakistan by the drone attack and bomb blasts daily. Even not a single day we are sure that we are safe today. Where is human right activist of the world and those people who give away awards at the name of Human reform or right.
@Afaq: And why shouldn't this guy not be promoted ?
Why the Medal now???? It seems funny that instead of giving him the award immediately after his death why now, do the people who are responsible have to put in a narrative that in Pakistan there are too many fundamentalist who are in control in Pakistan and they are killing people like Salman Taseer and also tried to kill Malalah and both of these persons have been awarded rewards for standing against these people
Congratulations! Richly-deserved! We killed you, but you still live in our minds, hearts and our souls.
Question of approval or disapproval of this award make no sense. Shaheed Sulman Taseer was great person and a cheap and mently Sick person Had killed him.
This news makes my day but alas no such award for him from his native country
Yeah ... Obama also got the nobel peace prize ... West and it's ways !!!!
Governor Salman Taseer's family has given a very big sacrifice. We pray for his soul and consolation for his family. These awards are important recognition of the truth which Taseer witnessed in his life and his family continues living that witness.
A deserving man!murdered by a coward!!
Btw , when she was falsely implicated then why has no one said anything about the court? Why has that been sidelined?