Punjab Governer Salman Taseer Killed

[shaykh1985]

No, it was a general statement. Though provoked by your comment, nonetheless.

Not that I want to pick on you or anything.

I do, however, think that every Pakistani should learn as much about Jinnah as possible from all sources. It is not impossible anymore because of the Internet. You get access to sources you didn't in the past.

Jinnah was secular himself. His political history with Congress before the demand for Pakistan indicates that clearly. However, the state he wanted to make was Islamic, in that he wanted it to adhere to the spirit of Islam. Spirit of Islam to him meant no discrimination among Pakistan's citizens on any basis. This was the drive behind Pakistan campaign anyway as it was discrimination against Muslims that prompted Jinnah to switch his stance in the first place. This is not the same as a theocracy. He was very clear about this on a number of occasions. Neither is it the same as the alleged Islamic shariah rules that we have today. Had he wanted all this, he would have made sure to ink these rules and laws before his death, even before formation of Pakistan, so that there was no confusion. He could have easily done that. He was a very responsible lawyer, for god's sake.

Yes, Jinnah did make some mistakes during his later Muslim league and Pakistan campaign days. He took some risks and made some political compromises with people (both religious and feudals) who are giving us trouble now. So as we see, some of those risks failed.

However, the reason I encourage people to learn more and more about him from neutral sources is so that they can understand better what he actually wanted. I feel that most Pakistanis do not understand him or his campaign.

Instead, they like to pick and choose his quotes to suit their own arguments.

Isn't that one of the whole confusions...from what I gather people desire to get back to what Pakistan was meant to be and essentially everyone differentiates on what it was supposed to be...so one should just focus on what it should be...

From a personal perspective my understanding of Jinnah is that he was a secularist...Maududi for the one with Islamic Caliphate ideals...and essentially Pakistan got neither...

Incidentally how do Islamists of today view Jinnah?...

 

[FastBowler]

Isn't that one of the whole confusions...from what I gather people desire to get back to what Pakistan was meant to be and essentially everyone differentiates on what it was supposed to be...so one should just focus on what it should be...

From a personal perspective my understanding of Jinnah is that he was a secularist...Maududi for the one with Islamic Caliphate ideals...and essentially Pakistan got neither...

Incidentally how do Islamists of today view Jinnah?...

JUI has said in the past that Jinnah was not a true freedom fighter because he had never sacrificed anything and never went to jail. Someone, I think it was Fazlur Rehman, said Jinnah could not have been fighting for a secular Pakistan because a Muslim could not fight for a secular cause.
And Islamic teacher drove me back against the school wall pointing her finger at me and saying that she'd take me to the principal's office (a huge threat with my record) for having said that Jinnah drank. When I said there were pictures, she said pictures could be doctored.

 

[ehjaz]

now its turning to a stupid discussion.................lets leave it to GOD to decide

 

[Maula Jutt]

Isn't that one of the whole confusions...from what I gather people desire to get back to what Pakistan was meant to be and essentially everyone differentiates on what it was supposed to be...so one should just focus on what it should be...

But then who decides what it should be? What I think it should be could be different from what you think it should be. There is no consensus, which is the problem. And I think the problem is there because we are still picking and choosing Jinnah's actions and comments.

From a personal perspective my understanding of Jinnah is that he was a secularist...Maududi for the one with Islamic Caliphate ideals...and essentially Pakistan got neither...

Incidentally how do Islamists of today view Jinnah?...

I am always a little careful in labelling today's theorocrats and extremists as Islamists or give them any tag with Islam in it. I find it an insult to my religion. I like to call them fanatics or even religious extremists. Surprisingly, even using the term mullah does not offend me. Go figure.

As for your question, I think the extremists realized that no matter what they say or do, the image of Jinnah among the Pakistani population will not get soiled. They tried their best in the beginning and they failed. Pakistanis from all walks of life consider Jinnah the father of their nation and there is nothing that would change that. So next, they came up with the brilliant idea of converting Jinnah's image into that of a Maulana sahib and started using his name in promoting thier own demands and wishes. They kept insisting that this is what Jinnah, our Quaid-e-Azam, wanted. And of course, our people who have a lot of reverence for Jinnah but sadly very little knowledge of him, eagerly lapped it up.

 

[1137moiz]

That would be my stance too if I was also looking at this incident in isolation. But I can't do it no matter how much I try. I hold him and politicians like him responsible for the lawlessness. And it was this same lawlessness that has resulted in his death. There is absolutely no justification in killing someone like this, but you can't help thinking it's a case of digging someone else's grave and falling in it yourself.

It's all about personal perception, meray bhai. I respect your sentiment, but these political deaths don't sway me in the least. I wasn't much perturbed when Benazir dropped dead either. I didn't forget how corrupt she had been just because they kept showing re-runs of her assassination on TV. The only thing I worry about is the following added lawlessness after such assassinations in which innocent people die. And it's all a cycle because these same politicians don't bother setting the country right in the first place.

good post

 

[Markhor]

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A man who confessed to assassinating a leading liberal Pakistani politician is being showered with gifts and praise by his fellow prison inmates, his attorney told CNN.

Mumtaz Qadri was arrested earlier this month, moments after he allegedly sprayed Salman Taseer, governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, with mare than 20 bullets outside a market in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. At the time of the shooting, Qadri was working as one of Taseer's security guards.

Police said Qadri confessed to the killing and said he assassinated his boss because of Taseer's campaign to change Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws.

At the prison just outside of Islamabad where Qadri is being kept, fellow inmates are offering him their clothes, blankets and meals, said Qadri's lawyer, Malik Waheed Anjum.

He said his client has no regrets over Taseer's death and spends most of his time reciting the Quran in jail.

"Qadri is proud and satisfied with what he did," Anjum told CNN.

Pakistan's hard-line religious groups have also congratulated Qadri. Since the shooting they
have held demonstrations calling him a hero, while condemning anyone who tries to change Pakistan's blasphemy laws. At the rallies, pictures of Qadri's smiling face regularly adorn posters and banners.

In Pakistan's major cities, liberal and moderate groups have held competing although much smaller demonstrations condemning Qadri and praising what they call Taseer's campaign to change the blasphemy law that they claim was being misused to persecute minorities.

At a hearing on Monday inside Qadri's prison, investigators submitted to a judge their findings, claiming Qadri was indeed Taseer's killer.

Police recommended the death penalty for Qadri, said Raja Shuja Ur Rehman, another member of his defense team.

Court officials said they held the hearing inside the prison to avoid a repeat of mass demonstrations that took place when Qadri was transported to a courthouse earlier this month. He is scheduled to be formally charged at a hearing in February.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/01/24/pakistan.suspect.hailed/

 

[Stumps]

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/01/24/pakistan.suspect.hailed/

Grim. Very grim. I am not a fan of the death penalty - but in this case there is only one item of clothing this murderer requires.

It's white coloured.

 

[Wiji]

What's the latest news regarding this psychopath who killed Salman? Why has it taken so long to sentence him? If this was Saudi, he would've been dealt with on national TV within a couple of days.

 

[Pakhtoon_Rules]

What's the latest news regarding this psychopath who killed Salman? Why has it taken so long to sentence him? If this was Saudi, he would've been dealt with on national TV within a couple of days.

Psychopath??

 

[Wiji]

Psychopath??

Why? How else would you describe?

 

[90MPH]

Psychopath??

OK let's call him an uneducated extremist murderer.

Justice finally for the victim, hopefully it will be done quickly without too much delay.

 

[ahsan88]

RIP Salman Taseer.

1 year on and Qadri is still revered.

 

[AZ]

Had arrived in Lahore just a day before he was assassinated.

Very saddening, to think a Governor could be killed off just like that.

 

[ahsan88]

Boarded my flight back to Bangkok the night before.

Woke up next morning and was shocked.

Nearly puked, when he was garlanded by lawyers.

 

[shahrukh619]

What happened to his killer? Death sentence!

 

[Garuda]

^^What happened to the killer? Punished?

 

[Disco_Lemonade]

wasnt qadri released and was welcomed by handful of crazy mullahs?

 

[ahsan88]

He was given death sentence by the court.

There was an appeal though. Could take a few years before justice can be served.

 

[Garuda]

^^good. he deserved no less than that.

Appeal is fine. He should live few more days thinking about his death penalty. That will be more painful for that monster.

 

[saj001]

Qadri should be hanged ASAP.

 

[smoothcriminal]

RIP Salman Taseer. As for the justice system, it at least has shown some form of sanity. Qadri got convicted for a death sentence in the "terrorism" court if I am not mistaken, and since then the judge who ordered the ruling has had to flee the country. Qadri's lawyers have filed an appeal to the High or the Supreme Court and that could take years. As long as Qadri at least remains in jail it will be somewhat satisfactory.

This day, one year ago, really was the most depressing day for me as a Pakistani. To think how people from all backgrounds reacted to Qadri's antics by praising him broke my heart.

 

[PTI tsunami]

Qadri should be hanged ASAP.

No he should get nishaan e haider ASAP

 

[Markhor]

Salman Taseer was a political expedient and not a shaheed. However he did not deserve to be killed in the manner in which he was. Taseer's untimely death has turned out to be equally shocking as the outpouring of support for Qadri.

The extent of how religious indoctrination over the years has affected Pakistani society was laid bare when people in their droves came out and were garlanding and praised Qadri the way they did. Qadri is a vile individual and should not have been elevated to such hero status. Equally, the liberal, secular camp ignored Taseer's flawed past, and made him into a hero. He was not a hero either, and it is ironic that one flawed individual ended the life of another. Soon Qadri's life will be over, and he will meet his maker. He may not get the punishment he should be getting in this world, but he will not escape the punishment of the next world.

 

[zimmz]

Qadri should be hanged for sure but this won't fix the actual problem. That is a false teaching about Prophet and a false law in Pakistan.

Taseer was a tool anyway...a liberal extremist on the other end of the pole. He should have chosen the words carefully before speaking against law, knowing well the mindset of blind/emotional followers of various sects.

 

[90MPH]

What shocked me the most was the lawyers showering petals and flowers at Qadri. Disturbing to say the least.

 

[saadibaba]

Taseer was a tool anyway...a liberal extremist on the other end of the pole. He should have chosen the words carefully before speaking against law, knowing well the mindset of blind/emotional followers of various sects.

Tool of what. Liberal forces, the west. These kind of statements are very irresponsible. In a way you are justifying and rationalizing his murder even though you probably don't intend to. Even if he was a liberal extremist as per you, what was his crime. He never asked for the blasphemy law to be abolished, he simply asked for reforms in the law so it is not misused. Same way IK and others have asked for reforms in the law. This law is still being used to prosecute and harass the poor and innocent religious minorities of our country. His crime was to stand up for a poor woman who no one cared for.

What kind of example are we setting when simply talking about the blasphemy law in public has become so inflammatory and controversial that we should avoid discussing it altogether because some idiot might get the wrong impression and put a fatwa on our head and instead of putting all the blame on those idiots and the people who breed such intolerance, blame the person who was simply discussing reforms. What kind of society are we trying to create.

 

[PerfectionPersonified]

given the judicial system and its implementation in Pakistan , i hope Pakistan find some more Qadris to clean the mess

Latoun ke bhoot batoun se naien mantay

 

[zimmz]

Tool of what. Liberal forces, the west.
These kind of statements are very irresponsible. In a way you are justifying and rationalizing his murder even though you probably don't intend to. Even if he was a liberal extremist as per you, what was his crime. He never asked for the blasphemy law to be abolished, he simply asked for reforms in the law so it is not misused.

You might have missed his statements those days. It was not that 'simply asked'. His choice of words ignited the reaction. Calling the law 'black law' (kaala qanoon) was taken by many jahils (actually by highly educated guys as well) as insult to prophet.

Why not just say this law is being miused and needs review. That is 'simple'!

 

[saadibaba]

You might have missed his statements those days. It was not that 'simply asked'. His choice of words ignited the reaction. Calling the law 'black law' (kaala qanoon) was taken by many jahils (actually by highly educated guys as well) as insult to prophet.

Why not just say this law is being miused and needs review. That is 'simple'!

But did he not explain it later by what he meant by it. My frustration is not as much with lunatics like Qadri but with people who try to rationalize his murder. He should have not said this, he should have been more careful, what do you expect. It's like blaming a girl for being raped because she was not wearing a dupatta.

 

[zimmz]

^ Analogy is not good enough. You have to consider the sentiments of the majority in country before you talk against any thing related to their most beloved personality. The murder is not justified to us who understand but it is to those jahils. In other words he might have avoided his murder by giving cautious statements. We can not turn a blind eye to the ground reality in our country. Just going rough on these guys will not help the matters.

 

[saadibaba]

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
Thomas Jefferson

He was a big fan of Faiz. I guess this poem by Faiz was emblematic of his spirit.

Bol, ke lab aazaad hain tere
Bol zabaan ab tak teri hai
Bol ke sach zinda hai ab tak
Bol, jo kuchh \kehna hai keh le

 

[Desire]

i am in favour of this law but its not qadri's job to implement it. Govt to do it starting with 2,3 warnings and if person dont stop then proceeding with case in court. As far as i have listened salman taseer's interviews he didnt say any disprespecting thing about prophet(pbuh).

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Aj bazaar mai pa ba-joulan chalo
Rakht-e-dil baandh lo dil figaro chalo

Phir ham he qatal hun ayen yaaro chalo