Shaheed Salmaan Taseer — VI
By: Zeeshan Hamid

At a time when religious tolerance and social harmony are of utmost importance, Pakistan has become a safe haven for extremism and terrorism. Because Pakistani law endorses religious extremism, particularly the ‘blasphemy laws’ (the brainchild of the late dictator General Ziaul Haq), Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer is dead. Dead for having spoken out against the blasphemy laws. The irony is that the blasphemy laws actually do everything but protect the honour of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). Taseer believed that these blasphemy laws were brutish and counterproductive and wanted to rid Pakistan of these discriminatory laws. For his opposition to the blasphemy laws, Taseer’s own bodyguard killed him. The assassination is a reminder to all of us that if you live in Pakistan, either you are with the extremists or you are dead.