Shehrbano Taseer vows to continue her father’s mission
The daughter of murdered Punjab governor Salman Taseer says she is determined to continue his campaign for changes to Pakistan’s blasphemy law, RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal reports.
Taseer was shot dead on January 4 by one of his security guards who objected to the governor’s opposition to the blasphemy law.
His daughter, Shehrbano Taseer, has herself spoken out against the controversial legislation, which critics say is often misused to persecute religious minorities or to settle personal scores.
Shehrbano Taseer, a reporter for “Newsweek Pakistan,” told RFE/RL in an exclusive interview on April 22 that the death of her father will not deter or intimidate her from continuing to speak up.
At the same time, she agreed that “there is an increase in radicalization in Pakistan. It’s dangerous because we do not know the enemy any more — he could be anywhere.”
Taseer attributed that radical mindset to Saudi-sponsored madrasahs, which “spew venom and hatred left, right, and center.”
She said her father talked “all the time” about the problems faced by religious minorities in Pakistan such as the Ahmadis, who are regarded by orthodox Muslims as heretical.
Taseer’s father had called for revoking the clause of the law designating the minority non-Muslims.
She recalled that he “was the only politician who visited the Ahmadis when they were attacked in May 2010, and the Christians in the [2009] Gojra attacks as well.”
Taseer said she does not think her father could or should have taken even more stringent security precautions than he did. “We live in a democracy and there is free speech,” she noted.
Asked whether her family is satisfied with the ongoing investigation into her father’s killing, she said “we are confident” that Malik Mumtaz Hussein Qadri, the guard accused of the killing, “will be punished for what he did.”
At the same time, she said it is “sickening” for her “to watch the lawyers garland Qadri, because these men are supposed to be the vanguards of justice in Pakistan, and it makes one wonder just how independent our judiciary really is.”
Qadri was showered with rose petals by lawyers and other sympathizers when he appeared in court in January.
great efforts by a great man mr: taseer, keep it up miss taseer many are with u like me š
No matter if People are religious/secular extremist but attitude toward each others is more important.
. . . You are doing a splendid job by continuing your father mission . . . We all are with SiR TaSeEr family . . . Our prayers & best wishes are with you & with your family & more for your father !. . . May Allah give CoUrAgE,sUcCeSs to Taseer’s family in achieving their mission . . .
Daughter of murdered Pakistani politician denounces extremism, blasphemy law
Read more: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/139229/20110428/pakistan-blasphemy-taseer-shehrbano.htm#ixzz1KycGRqJ9
Courageous and Brave Shehrbano Taseer is Salmaan TaseerĀ“s 22-year-old daughter. She spoke to HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur about her fatherĀ“s legacy and how she intends to continue it by speaking up in favour of the voiceless.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/hardtalk/9468668.stm
Jub be Kisi Sanp (Snake) ya Mulllah ko dekho, to Sub say Pahla Mullah ko Mar do. wo Sanp say Zeyada Dangerous ha
wow ! Zabardast !
Like father like daughter.
Salman Taseer Shaheed was a great man. He was the supporter of minorities and those sections of society which are subjected to violence in the name of religion. This is a fact that he was teh only political leader who had the courage to speak the truth.
“”She said her father talked āall the timeā about the problems faced by religious minorities in Pakistan such as the Ahmadis, who are regarded by orthodox Muslims as heretical.””
Not only orthodox muslim group deem them heterodox. They were declared “Kafirs” by the assembly led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. And i think this is the crop sowed by PPP, and now we all are reaping it.
But no doubt Mr Taseer was a great man. Atleast i never saw him flattering anyone.