Civil society organisations gathered at Liberty roundabout to pay tribute to Salmaan Taseer. PHOTO: ABID NAWAZ/EXPRESS
“Salmaan Taseer was a brave man who never shied away from raising his voice for the voiceless, the marginalised, the poor, and for women and minority rights. His martyrdom shook us all but it also made us realise that a brave man never dies…his legacy lives on,” Journalist Mehmal Sarfaraz said at a candle vigil to mark the third death anniversary of Salmaan Taseer, former Punjab governor, at the Liberty roundabout on Saturday.
Salmaan Taseer’s daughter, Sanam Taseer said her father’s public life and private life had been the same. He was a man of compassion and candour. “As long as Article 33 remains law and Aasia Bibi continues to languish in prison, his sacrifice has been in vain,” she said.
More than 150 participants at the vigil demanded the removal of blasphemy laws and Aasia Bibi’s release from prison. They opposed the government’s plans to hold talks with the Taliban. They chanted “Taseer, your blood will bring forth a revolution” and “religious extremism and fundamentalism are not acceptable”. They held banners emblazoned with slogans like Down with Fanaticism; Down with Extremism; Shame on the Silent Majority; and Repeal Blasphemy Laws.
Awami Workers Party general secretary Farooq Tariq said, “We are here to condemn religious fundamentalism and declare that Mumtaz Qadri, who poses as a hero, is a villain. Taseer’s only crime was to support a Christian woman falsely accused of blasphemy.”
SAP-PK deputy director Irfan Mufti said, “We are here to mark a day for anti-terrorism and anti-extremism in remembrance of Salmaan Taseer who lost his life to build a tolerant society.”
Ali Salman Alvi, a columnist for The Nation, paying tribute to the late governor, said, “Taseer was an ambassador of tolerance. He stood for the rights of minorities and the downtrodden. He had the courage to denounce the extremist mindset that has destroyed the fabric of our society. He sacrificed his life for humanity and will be sorely missed in our society which is increasingly becoming intolerant.”
Columnist Marvi Sirmed said, “I am here for Aasia Bibi. Taseer knew the danger he was in for supporting her, but he did not back out for a minute. We have seen several incidents of intolerance since, yet no one has been arrested.”
Sirmed said no FIRs had been registered against the culprits responsible for the incident at Joseph Colony and in the Rimsha Masih case...Rimsha’s family had to leave the country instead.
Journalist Sirmed Manzoor said, “We are small in number and the extremist narrative is everywhere, but I am sure we can encourage more people to take a stand against extremism.”
Syed Ahsan Abbas Rizvi of the Peoples Youth Organisation (PYO) said, “Pakistan Peoples Party has been orphaned since Taseer died on January 4, 2011.”
Taseer was shot dead by his guard Malik Mumtaz Qadri. Qadri had shot him 27 times with an MP5 sub machine gun. He had been convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Later the Islamabad High Court admitted Qadri’s appeal against the conviction.
In support of Qadri
As many as 250 students from several madrassahs in the city held a rally in support of Mumtaz Qadri on Saturday. The rally was organised by the Mumtaz Qadri Lovers’ Forum. The participants walked from the Punjab Assembly to the Press Club holding banners and chanting slogans in favour of Mumtaz Qadri. Maulana Asharaf Jalali addressing the rally said politicians like Dr Tahirul Qadri, who had called Mumtaz Qadri a murderer, were villains.
The participants demanded that the government pardon Mumtaz Qadri and release him. “Mumtaz Qadri is our hero and we will sacrifice our lives if we have to in order to get him released,” said speakers.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 5th, 2014.
COMMENTS (24)
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I can't understand this orphan story. The PM and The President of the day were too scared to attend Mr. Taseer's funeral because they were warned by the Mullahs. Now we shed crocodile tears. The very protectors of law celebrated his death and garlanded his murderer. The judge who sentenced the murderer had to flee the country for his safety. Has Mr Taseer's death changed any thing---no. The anniversary only exposes the gloating of his murderer's supporters. If terrorister can be called martyrs why not the late Governor.?
No pardon should be given to a ruthless murderer who took law of an Islamic state into his own hand while his or his loved ones life or property was not in any danger, only because his preacher was mad at (Late) Salman Taseer. He should have first refused from his oath for the duty of protecting his victim. He killed a public leader by disguise at his protector. He took an extreme unIslamic action over a controversy if even before proven that there was any crime committed by the Christian woman in the story. Sad for Mr deceased that he trusted this killer with his protection and let him come too close to even eves drop on him. A full back ground check and family history of violence and neighbors’ opinion should have been considered by his office.
I was never a fan of Taseer the governor, but he was a symbol of tolerance in an otherwise cowardly society. He may not have been the most honest politician, but at least he stood up for something he believed in when he knew in all certainty that it would get him killed. His party members, who probably stood by him in principle, all abandoned him because they knew it was asking to be killed. One has to admire Taseer for not backing down, and for constantly criticizing a law that has been misused to the extent that it has defamed Islam in the name of Islam.
@ Sri Varahadev.
Good memory!
The late Governor Salman Taseer when he heard the news of the failure of India’s GSLV rocket launcher did gloat and tweet “Why does India make fools of themselves messing in space technology? Stick 2 bollywood my advice”.
Under the circumstances it is satisfying that India successfully concluded the follow up GSLV mission on Governor Taseer’s death anniversary.
Shaheed Salman Taseer's assassination and the great cause that this hero gave his life for and PPP's cowardly silence and conspicuous absence of all PPPian leadership at the funeral killed PPP. A party survives as long as its caders stay together when times are good and also when circumstances are less than suitable, if you don't show solidarity with your people, especially when a valuable life is sacrificed for valuable cause then workers and supporters tend to disown such parties and the must face oblivion like PPP is doing.
Salman Taseer was a brave and liberal human not a radical Dog like Mumtaz Qadri....I just hope that Qadri will get his ultimate strongest possible punishment for his sin....but the problem is that from ordinary people to politicians in Pakistan since its creation, all feared from Mullahs...Mullahs and Pakistan cannot be combined together...
A country where people like NS become PM and Samual Haq become mediator of peace in such a country there is no place for people like Salman Taseer RIP.
Late Governor Salman Taseer on hearing the news of the failure of India’s GSLV mission said “Why does India make fools of themselves messing in space technology? Stick 2 bollywood my advice”.
Today the successor to that mission, the GSLV D5, was launched successfully by India.
Good thing India did not pay any heed whatsoever to late Governor Taseer’s advise.
Salman Taseers party (the PPP) is the biggest appeaser of religious fascists among all of Pakistan's major political parties. Had they taken a tough stance and confronted these theocratic thugs from the get go, he may well have still been alive.
Where is ppp
@Truth_Prevails: Since 250 religious students rallied in support of the murderer, they must think it was not against Islam. Do you appreciate that? Do you understand that, at a minimum, there is a misunderstanding in Pakistan about what Islam permits? General statements like "this is against Islam" are like spitting into a hurricane. Tell us, and the extremists who are taught differently, why is it against Islam? Quote chapter and verse. Maybe then you can persuade these people who are murdering innocent people in the name of religion that they have it all wrong.
Pakistan is raising an army of maniacs like Mumtaz Qadri in its Madrassahs. The next generation will be more intolerant. I foresee complete chaos, and destruction in Pakistan.
for the late Salman Taseer i say,"So Long Comrade, you are missed and will be missed."
Why would you bring indian into this? The user indian commented 'religion of peace' @Truth_Prevails:
I am a Pakistani and I would say the same in the same sarcastic tone
'religion of peace'
and your denying that religion had nothing to with it does not change the fact that religion had everything to do with it.
Salaman Taseer is the only person in recent times of Pakistan history who really earned respect for all what he did for the humanity. We should be proud to have person like him in Pakistan and hope that he was not the last one. Lots of respect for Salman Taseer and his family.
Only 25 people from whole of Lahore? If it were a gathering in favour of Mumtaz Qadri whole of Lahore and possibly Punjab would have turned up.
A brave muslim Salman Taseer....
What benifit these candles do to the deceased anyway? Any guess?
Salman Taseer "A man of courage"
@indian: The religion of low and high caste
May Salman Taseer's soul rest in peace and his sacrifice may serve to enlighten the Truth which lives in the hearts of the all co-citizens.
Salman Taseer was murdered & the murderer is behind bars. Qadri had nothing to do with Islam and in fact he acted against Islam. Some indians may unhumanely find it amusing to comment as @indian did but the fact remains that had it been for 'religion of peace' Qadri would have been hanged at the place where he killed Salman Taseer within a few days.
Pleaseeeeee do. Who has stopped you.But kindly leave others alone.
the religion of peace.