Pakistan

Taseer’s children talk about their ‘misunderstood’ father

“I only know that killing innocent people is blasphemy,” said Shehryar Taseer.

January 13, 2011

ISLAMABAD: “I only know that killing innocent people is blasphemy,” said Shehryar Taseer in an interview on Wednesday about the untimely death of his father, the late governor Salmaan Taseer.

Talking to BBC, Shehryar added that people misunderstood his father, who never said (anything blasphemous) what people thought he had. He was only advocating Aasia Bibi by saying that she had not committed the offence, he added.

He laid his life for the poor and down-trodden people of this society,” Shehryar said, adding that real justice will be sought in the Hereafter. “My father’s killer has snatched my friend from me,” he said.

Shehryar added that if he joins politics he will use the platform of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

The late governor’s daughter said her father had been receiving death threats for the past three years. Sara Taseer added that her father had only taken up the cause of people who were unjustly treated.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (42)

sara | 13 years ago | Reply another example of 'john paul'.... :)

Checkerboard Strangler | 13 years ago | Reply @Burger Boy: January 4th?? Wow, I thought 99% of Pakistan was on your side? If so, why has the mourning of Taseer continued almost a month then? You're a LIAR, and your religious beliefs are NOT Islamic, or even of any faith devoted to God anywhere on Earth.

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Checkerboard Strangler | 13 years ago | Reply @Burger Boy: You're all over this website, aren't you? It is you who seems to have a sick obsession with this man. It is you who expresses an almost SEXUAL delight in his killing. You might have serious mental problems, and in most countries you would be locked up in a straitjacket and living in a room with rubber walls.

Checkerboard Strangler | 13 years ago | Reply Blessings and prayers for the Taseer family from Texas. We are with you in your struggle to be true children of Allah (peace be upon him).

Sonam Malik | 13 years ago | Reply I have to say these lines why some people are senselessly unable to understand the gravity of this sensitive matter? They are behaving just like learned ignoramus because reaction(s) in case of destruction of cleric sentiments are profoundly genuine regardless your are Muslim or non-Muslim. Human-beings believe on faith / religion (but never on liberalism) whether he / she follows respective teachings strongly or not. On a very concrete terms, I assert we must be in the favor of establishing such a law which bars each Pakistani to keep lying within limits (i.e. from any act of disrespect of All Prophets) and just to concentrate own business so that we all people of majority and those of minorities can worship in Pakistan. Those who oppose the establishment of this law is and will be an undeniable cause of destruction of our Pakistan. I hate extremism and secularism simultaneously. All secular(s) and extremist(s) have to realize that a law, which protects faith and Prophet of each religious community, can save Pakistan from further human losses.

ang | 13 years ago | Reply @ burger boy - fyi, secularists will own this country one day, i promise you that. till our very last breath we are gonna fight for our rights and we are not going to let fear take us over. only fear God and no one else.

Burger Boy | 13 years ago | Reply @ Cricket Fan, Conservatives should move to Saudi Arabia or Yemen? We are the majority and I think your intolerance towards us will have you emigrating on the next flight if you speak that way about us in public. Maybe you secularists should move to whichever country will take you.....our army fights with the slogan "iman, taqwa, jihad fi sabilillah" so you're a fool to think that conservative Muslims belong elsewhere and secularists own this country....that is laughable. Go ahead....say it in public...I dare you

M. Salim | 13 years ago | Reply Let us always remember Salman Taseer's grit and determination to wipe out the illiterate mullahs and their cohorts who are undermining Pakistan. All the sympathy to Taseer's family

Hamad | 13 years ago | Reply My heart goes with Taseer family. I am sorry for his death and I feel bad what my country man did, Crealess what they are doing to just get media fame. Oh mr Mumtaz Qadri! I pray Allah to punish you for your ruthless murudure.

Cricket Fan | 13 years ago | Reply @ Sonam; I pray God would rid Pakistan of you and other like you. Ameen. Would it be too much to ask you to leave Pakistan alone? Perhaps immigrate to Saudi Arabia or Yemen. The lack of human rights will most definitely give you a taste for secularism. Like Taseer, we want Jinnah's Pakistan, not a perverted version of it where murder is condoned.

khizra raza | 13 years ago | Reply Salman Taseer was a very brave & care-free prson...the best thing about him was that politically unlike other politicians he never harmed the masses 7 his killer that mumtaz qadri is nothing than a psycho whos trying to shield himself with Islam...ISLAM NEVER ALLOWS WHAT HE DID

The Only Normal Person Here. | 13 years ago | Reply Courageous kids. Only they know how it feels when people are celebrating the death of your loved one. Its hard.

Rashid | 13 years ago | Reply In the decade of 90 there were lot of extrajudicial killings specially in karachi. There are hundreds of people killed/month in a targeted manner in karachi. Thousands of inocent childrens,women and men killed by Drones. What do the PPP and Taseer family has to say about this all if they think they always taken up the cause of people who were unjustly treated ?? No civil society came out on these issue .... why ??

lovePak | 13 years ago | Reply The killer needs to be punished to the maximum extent possible under Pakistani law. There should be no place for religious extremists in Pakistan. Salman Taseer was innocent and didn't deserve to die.

Sardar Taimur Gyat-Khan | 13 years ago | Reply We must stick together! if you need any support whenever you can count on me!

Asmat Jamal | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan is the most dangerous country for its own people. Its a country where the essence of religion is most misunderstood. Most of the people have become psychotic patients because of the happenings around them. Its a country run and managed by goons.

ehabs | 13 years ago | Reply Shehryar, I wish you the best in this difficult time. Please know that the sane section of our society fully stands behind you and your family. @BurgerBoy: Please be more respectful. Governor Taseer was a man worth admiring.

Raj | 13 years ago | Reply There is no mention of Aatish Taseer in the story.

Muhammad Musadiq Anwar | 13 years ago | Reply @ Shehryar, I was and i am still very much depressed since this incident happen, i don,t know much about politics and and your father but i know one thing he was literate person and playing very good role in country economic development and we lost a very important entity in economic development. well you join the politics that a nice idea to pursue your fatrher good dreams to develop this country. More importantly i respect litterate people and i wish litterate people come not only in politics but also in all Govt. entities then we can develop this nation. IN the last i just want say, May Allah rest your father soul in peace and May Allah help our nation to become littrate and understandable what actually Islam and humanity is. M

Sonam Malik | 13 years ago | Reply I am not with the grieved family-members as their father knowing or unknowingly (only Allah better knows) very negatively commented on Blasphemy Law. By saying Namo-se-Risalat Qanoon as Black Law, he actually demonstrated liberal-extremism only. On the other hand, Allah always orders us to hold Justice on the earth. Hence, government should treat equally & simultaneously minority(s) and majority(s). It is imperative to think that law is fully error-less and aim of establishing such law throughout the world is just to protect religious faith(s) regardless law-maker(s) were democratically elected or not. It is demanded; an extraordinary punitive actions must be taken against those who have been misused law for their own ruthless interests. Remove the deficiencies not the laws. We should not cowardly try to remove Namo-sa-Risalat Law from Law Books instead of, punishing them who have been got benefit on account of the deficiencies of our institutions in relation to Blasphemy Law's elaboration, implementation and investigation.

hasan lal | 13 years ago | Reply Kudos to Riaz Khan, People like Salman Taseer are rare species now.

rashid | 13 years ago | Reply taseer, a brave, courageous, upright, honest and enlightened leader stood for a just cause. he sacrificed his life confronting the bigots but did not bow in front of them. we stand by his family and we will support his cause. bravo salman taseer ! ur legacy should continue and the blind, deaf and dumb bigots should be given exemplary rebuttal.

No Name | 13 years ago | Reply Shaheed Salmaan. Taseer was the real Lion of Punjab. He gave his life defending the Poor and the needy of Pakistan. I am sure his sacrifice will not go in vain. May Allah grant him the highest level in Heaven. Ameen

Burger Boy | 13 years ago | Reply I simply suggest we should give equal importance to the lives of all Pakistanis, not just the elite.

Habiba Younis | 13 years ago | Reply Salman Taseer's stand against blasphemy laws was indeed a highly honorable and courageous deed...no other politician had the guts of doing do. He laid his life for a noble cause, may his soul rest in peace!

rashid | 13 years ago | Reply i dont know what to write here coz im still confused in ds matter that who was rite and who s wrong the killer or the died person..

Majid Maqsood | 13 years ago | Reply We are with you my dear. do join politics and bring change in society. Misunderstanding should not be caused of such bashful murder. Salman Taser was true brave man of Punjab and no one can be like him.

Sara | 13 years ago | Reply Nothing can lessen ur grief, But the sane people are with u.

Burger Boy | 13 years ago | Reply Oh boo hoo...one of the elite died a horrible death. What about the hundreds of Pakistanis that die horribly every day through poverty, malnutrition and a corrupt system that continually fails them and oppresses them. Lots of people are suffering miserably in Pakistan....I think the country is more concerned about those people and the media should too rather than obsess over this one person. Stop making this guy's life worth more than all the others that you never give coverage to, let alone this nonstop Taseer-fest since Jan 4th. Get over it already.

Deen Sheikh | 13 years ago | Reply The blasphamey laws are truly dark ad droconian, they must be scrapped.

Adnan | 13 years ago | Reply We all are, like his family, proud of Mr Taseer for the stand he had undertaken !

Fahed | 13 years ago | Reply We buried a man, not his courage.

Saad Durrani | 13 years ago | Reply #ohreally

Riaz Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Shehryar Taseer your father was one brave man whom I met few years back & fell in love with him. I went to ISL to see the place where my friend ST was shot down & met the restaurant manager of "Table Talk" where he had his last meal. Just a soup & shrimps. Outside German TV crew was filming & looking at me with tears in my eyes they requested me, if I can give an interview which I gladly gave & said that I call blasphemy law a "BLACK LAW" as said by ST & ready to lay my life, if need be. We the moderates instead of sitting in our living rooms must stand up & defeat these cowards who are out to destroy our country. ST we love you & salute you! Shehryar Beta, please pay my condolences to your family. Riaz Khan

Babar | 13 years ago | Reply Come on dude, you don't have to explain anything to anyone. Your father was the only brave political figure in this country who called spade a spade.

Mullah Terminator | 13 years ago | Reply May Allah give his family courage and patience. Ameen. Please dont be scared, the nation is with you. Pakistan is becoming land of fanatics and intolerence. Courtesy of Zia era mullahs who were bred and fed and now the virus has spread and penetrated in our society. Let me ask these jahil mullah, is exloding bombs in mosque is ISLAM ! no mullah have protested and arranged jaloos condeming this barbaic act! Todate why no mullah is shot and only the smart and educated pakistanis are killed.

Ajaz Hussain | 13 years ago | Reply It has been a biggest blunder of the year to kill such a visionary, educated and liberal politition and leader of the country. These all happens because of the ignorant group of our islamic society, who misguide th masses to kill the people, it will be your jihad which will gaurnatee your passport to the jinnah. I humbly request our countries relegio-political parties to not blackmail the nation by interprating the great relegion in such a way that which is totally unecceptable to the islaimic fundamentals. "May Allah guide the missguided"

Talha | 13 years ago | Reply Salman Taseer is truly a national hero of Pakistan, standing up for the innocents and weak against the ever increasing violent extremists in our nation. He will always be remembered for his act of bravery, he died a hero, is there a better way to go?

asif nadeem | 13 years ago | Reply sorry ................as a pakistani its a shame to hear our governor died and nothing happened to the killer......................

Haris Chaudhry | 13 years ago | Reply The compassionate and the understanding lot is with you Shehryar ! We grieve with you at your loss. The bigoted and violence prone hypocrites dont give a damn. They are there celebrating with the murderous thug Qadri. May Salman's soul rest in peace. Haris

M M Malik | 13 years ago | Reply Shehryar, Your father was innocent and was killed by ignorant coward. Taseer spoke for the meek and that is jihad.

Uzair | 13 years ago | Reply Taseer family, we are with you. Your brave father sacrificed his life for the downtrodden of the country, and we (true Muslims) know that what he said and represented was the true Islam of compassion and justice rather than the twisted evil Islam of hate and murder of so many of our misguided or plain evil countrymen and even women. May Allah bless your father and protect his family which is living up to his brave and honorable reputation!

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