Samson Salamat (in red cap) at the fourth death anniversary of slain Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who spoke out against Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws, on Jan. 4, 2015. (Photo: Samson Salamat)
Activists from religious minorities have voiced fears of growing religious intolerance a decade after the assassination of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who criticized Pakistan's blasphemy laws.
“Lal salam [red greetings] to the martyr Salman Taseer,” Samson Salamat, chairman of Rawadari Tehreek, said in a Facebook post sharing photos from 2015 when supporters of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), an Islamist party, attacked participants in a vigil for Taseer.
Taseer was assassinated on Jan. 4, 2011, for defending Asia Bibi, the Catholic woman later acquitted of blasphemy after spending eight years on death row. The candlelit vigils for the late governor ended a few years ago.
The chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, issued a statement on the party's website.
“The party leader had sacrificed his life for the promotion of tolerance and rights of minorities in the country. The political struggle of Shaheed Salman Taseer is incomparable to any other. The day of martyrdom of Taseer reminds us that we have to save Pakistan from the fire of extremism and terrorism. We have to stop the misuse of laws,” said Zardari.
According to Salamat, a Christian, the situation is getting worse.
We should recognize the services of Taseer, who spoke courageously. The later incidents proved that he took the right path
“Unfortunately there is no reversal. The state has failed to counter religious intolerance. The brutal lynching of a Sri Lankan factory manager in the city of Sialkot is yet another example of the misuse of blasphemy laws,” he told UCA News.
Salamat was referring to Priyantha Diyawadanage, who was accused of blasphemy and beaten to death before his body was set alight on Dec. 3.
“We should recognize the services of Taseer, who spoke courageously. The later incidents proved that he took the right path. Sadly, the state is giving more space to the religio-political party that plotted his killing.”
At least 260 Ahmadis and 78 people accused of blasphemy have been killed extrajudicially since 1984 when specific laws were introduced targeting Ahmadis as "non-Muslims" and forbidding their places of worship being called mosques.
According to Amir Mehmood, who handles communications for the sect, every new day is more bitter for Ahmadis in Pakistan.
“None of the political parties have the courage to speak against the injustice our community faces. Even the police, who represent the state, participate in desecrating our graves. The data doesn’t cover the series of events leading to anti-Ahmadi attacks,” he said.