Requiem for an activist: Resolution urges govt to book Rehman’s killers

A large protest demo was organised by Joint Action Committee.

LAHORE:

Civil society and rights activists on Thursday condemned the murder of lawyer and human rights activist Rashid Rehman and commemorated his services for protecting human rights. They demanded that the government hold an impartial inquiry and make its findings public.

A resolution was issued at the conclusion of a packed event at the Aiwan-e-Iqbal, organised by the Joint Action Committee for People’s Rights. The event was held to commemorate Rehman’s contribution and draw attention to the apathy that led to his death and the failure to bring his killers to justice. Bushra Khaliq presented the resolution before the large gathering, which endorsed it unanimously. The resolution demanded that the government charge all those involved directly or indirectly in Rehman’s murder. A large number of civil society activists also demanded state protection for lawyers, journalists and rights activists who were struggling for the marginalised segments of society.

Addressing the gathering, former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Asma Jahangir said Rashid Rehman was a soldier and a leader in the provision of human rights. She said with Rehman’s murder, a vacuum in leadership had emerged and fear had become prevalent amongst rights defenders. She said his killers did not even want him to be commemorated or mourned; they wanted to gag progressive elements, and the government was acting like a spectator. Jahangir said that she firmly believed that police had identified Rehman’s murderers but was afraid of arresting them. She also condemned the heinous murder of a woman at the entrance of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday.

Awami National Party leader and senator Afrasiab Khattak said journalists, politicians and minorities had been targeted for many years now. He said politicians had earlier been stopped from political activism through imprisonment but now they were being eliminated through murder. He said 700 ANP workers were killed in acts of terrorism. He said they would continue their struggle for democracy despite the fear of death.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Secretary General I. A. Rehman said Rehman had bravely embraced death but not compromised on his commitment to rights. He asked the participants how long they would continue with such protests, and added it was time to take practical and effective steps. He requested young lawyers in the audience to represent Junaid Hafeez in the blasphemy case; Rashid Rehman’s was threatened and later assassinated for not withdrawing as Hafiz’s lawyer.

Senior advocate Abid Hassan Minto said the state had become a spectator on issues of terrorism and discrimination against religious minorities. He said the governments could no longer cope with poverty, terrorism and backwardness, and only wanted to complete their term. He said the establishment and the politicians would not protect religious minorities and labourers as the present system suited them and their ability to stay in power. He said there were some groups among the lawyers who were with terrorists and some judges who were afraid of dealing with blasphemy cases.

Qaumi Awami Party Sindh leader Ayaz Latif Palejo lamented that Lahore’s progressive tradition had been replaced by regressive forms of thinking. He said in Sindh circumstances were markedly different. He said in Punjab lawyers were queuing up to represent Mumtaz Qadri. He said the lawyers’ community must struggle not only for a change in government or restoration of judiciary but also for the restoration of human rights.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2014.