Peace Mumbai condemns Salman Taseer killing
January 8th, 2011 - 5:24 pm ICT by IANSMumbai, Jan 8 (IANS) India-Pakistan friendship activists here Saturday strongly condemned the assassination of Salman Taseer, governor of Pakistan’s Punjab Province. In a statement, Peace Mumbai said: “Taseer was shot dead by his security guard for taking a principled position on the controversial Blasphemy Law.”
Peace Mumbai activists - Jatin Desai, Asad Bin Saif and Sukla Sen - said Taseer was in favour of amendment to the Blasphemy Law in that country.
Recently, a court in Sheikhpura near Lahore sentenced a Christian woman Aasia Bibi to death for allegedly insulting Prophet Mohammad. The sentence is yet to be confirmed by the high court and Supreme Court.
“Taseer wanted to secure pardon for Aasia Bibi from the death penalty. This was the first time in the history of Pakistan that a woman was sentenced to capital punishment under the Blasphemy Law,” Peace Mumbai said.
The activists pointed out that the Blasphemy Law is wielded primarily against minorities and is often used to settle personal scores. Many a time, local people take the law into their own hands and lynch individuals accused of blasphemous acts.
“It is a matter of concern that people are coming out in open support of Taseer’s killer on various social networking websites and expressing joy at this ghastly murder. Rising religious extremism has to be curbed and the Pakistan government must act strongly against forces promoting hatred and violence,” Peace Mumbai urged.
The organization also demanded that the Pakistan government take stern action against the people who had issued death threats to Taseer, politician-journalist Sherry Rehman and many others.
“The government must strive to ensure the safety of Sherry Rehman for taking a courageous stand and introducing an amendment to this Law in the National Assembly,” Peace Mumbai added.
- Peace Mumbai, Indian Muslim intellectuals condemn Taseer's killing - Jan 09, 2011
- Now, fatwas demanding death for Sherry Rehman over Blasphemy Law softening stance - Jan 09, 2011
- Pak's blasphemy law is not God-given, but man-made: Salmaan Taseer - Nov 26, 2010
- Asma Jahangir assails LHC stay order against presidential pardon for Aasia Bibi - Dec 01, 2010
- Sherry Rehman withdraws bill for blasphemy law amendment - Feb 03, 2011
- Jinnah Institute blasts Pak-Christian woman's shocking death sentence for 'blasphemy' - Nov 17, 2010
- Pak Taliban threatens to target more blasphemy law reform supporters - Mar 03, 2011
- A Pakistani law that felled a minister and a governor - Mar 03, 2011
- Pak blasphemy law reform advocate Sherry Rehman says being scared "no longer works" - Mar 29, 2011
- Fears over blasphemy-accused Pak-Christian woman's safety after Taseer's assassination - Jan 07, 2011
- Hillary Clinton condemns assassination of Pak Punjab governor - Jan 05, 2011
- Sherry Rehman next on terror hit list? - Mar 03, 2011
- Lahore HC stays Blasphemy Law amendment until judicial ruling on Aasia case - Dec 06, 2010
- Lahore HC prevents Blasphemy Law amendment until judicial ruling on Aasia case (Amended) - Dec 06, 2010
- Salman Taseer's assassin gets death sentence - Oct 01, 2011
Tags: asad, blasphemy law, christian woman, death threats, desai, history of pakistan, india pakistan, lahore, many a time, pakistan government, personal scores, principled position, prophet mohammad, punjab province, religious extremism, saif, security guard, sherry rehman, social networking websites, stern action