Pakistan Governor Buried; Some Praise His Killer

Roses for Pakistan Governor's Killer
Salmaan Taseer ChronLAHORE, Pakistan — Lawyers showered the suspected killer of a prominent Pakistani Governor with rose petals when he arrived at court Wednesday and an influential Muslim scholars group praised the Assassination of the outspoken opponent of laws that order death for those who insult Islam. Punjab. Gov. Salman Taseer's killing has sent tremors through the ranks of Pakistan's already embattled Progressives and rights Activists. Thousands gathered to mourn the politician at his ...

A divided Pakistan buries Salman Taseer and a liberal dream
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 5 January 2011 21.05 GMT Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani at the Funeral of assasinated Punjab Governor Salman Taseer. Photograph: Ilyas J Dean/Rex Features Silence gripped the ancient city of Lahore yesterday as Salmaan Taseer, a pugnacious son of the soil who made his name by speaking out, was lowered into an early grave. Soldiers in fantail turbans snapped to attention around a flag-draped coffin holding the slain Punjab governor; stone-faced relatives look...

500 Islamic clerics and scholars misunderstand Islam, praise murderer of Pakistani governor who opposed blasphemy law
"Qadri had 'revived the 14-century-old traditions of Islam' and made Muslims around the world proud," said their statement. They must be a gang of greasy Islamophobes. "Salman Taseer's killer an Islamic warrior: Pakistani clerics," from PTI, January 5: A group of over 500 Pakistani scholars and clerics have described the policeman who gunned down the Punjab Governor Salman Taseer as a 'Ghazi' and have warned against any expression of sympathy for slain PPP leader, saying it would tantamount to...

After the Taseer Assassination, Pakistan's Christians Cower While Some Muslims Applaud
Two of the dead man's sons sobbed uncontrollably as preparations for Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer's Funeral were underway in Lahore on Wednesday. But, to the south, in Pakistan's huge port city of Karachi, religious scholars united to forbid mourning. They urged pious Muslims not to offer Funeral prayers for the outspoken Taseer who had most recently made headlines by championing the rights of Aasia Bibi, a Christian convert facing execution because of the country's Blasphemy laws. Indeed, o...

Pakistan governor buried, clerics warn against grief
By Michael Georgy Islamabad | Wed Jan 5, 2011 7:00pm EST Islamabad (Reuters) - A politician gunned down over his opposition to Pakistan's Blasphemy laws was buried on Wednesday after a Murder likely to cow further those pushing for a more liberal and Secular vision of Pakistani society. Five hundred Pakistani religious scholars said that anyone who expressed grief over the Assassination of Salman Taseer, Governor of Punjab province, could suffer the same fate. Taseer, a liberal politician clo...

This Really Is Mainstream Islam
Don't pretend that the enemies of freedom are a small minority of Extremists. Even the AP reported this: (emphasis added) More than 500 Muslim scholars praised the man suspected of killing a Pakistani Governor because the politician opposed Blasphemy laws that mandate death for those convicted of insulting Islam. The group of scholars and clerics known as Jamat Ahle Sunnat is affiliated with a moderate school of Islam and represents the mainstream Barelvi sect. The group said in a statement We...

Mainstream Pakistani Islamic Groups Praise Assassin of Governor and Warn Others That They Would Be Killed For Opposing Blasphemy
The mainstream Islamic organizations have rallied in response to the Assassination of of Salman Taseer, Governor of Punjab province by one of his Bodyguards. However, they are not rallying to denounce the killing but to celebrate it because Taseer had stood up against the country’s notorious Blasphemy laws. Islamic leaders warned people not to mourn his death and warned other politicians that they could face the same fate if they tried to curtail Blasphemy prosecutions. In the meantime, hi...

Pakistan: More Than 500 Muslim Clerics Praise Man Who Assassinated Governor of Largest Province For Opposing Blasphemy Laws
Pakistan is doomed. Lahore, Pakistan (AP)— Lawyers showered rose petals over the suspected killer of a prominent Pakistani Governor when he arrived at court Wednesday and an influential Muslim scholars group praised the Assassination of the outspoken opponent of laws that order death for those who insult Islam. More than 500 clerics and scholars from the group Jamat Ahle Sunnat said no one should pray or express regret for the killing of Punjab province Gov. Salman Taseer. The group repres...

Muslim scholars heap praise on Pakistan governor's killer
THE self-confessed killer of a prominent Pakistani Governor was showered with rose petals as he arrived at court yesterday, and an influential Muslim scholars group praised the Assassination of the outspoken opponent of the country's strict Blasphemy laws. • A Pakistani greets Mumtaz Qadri, third from right, the alleged killer of Punjab's Governor Salman Taseer, as he arrives at a court in Islamabad yesterday. Picture: AP Mumtaz Qadri, 26, made his first appearance in an Islamabad court, wh...

Pakistani religious groups cheer killing of governor
Islamabad, Pakistan — The increasing Radicalization of Pakistani society was laid bare Wednesday when the nation's mainstream religious organizations applauded the Murder of provincial Governor Salman Taseer earlier this week, while his killer was showered with rose petals as he appeared in court. Taseer, 66, the Governor of Punjab, the country's most heavily populated province, was assassinated Tuesday by one of his police Bodyguards after Taseer had campaigned to ease Pakistan&...

Blasphemy and Betrayal: The Murder of Salman Taseer
Anna Bigelow is Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies at North Carolina State University. "You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your Mosques or to any other places of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed—that has nothing to do with the business of the State." Would that Jinnah had survived longer (he died in 1948) to secure that principle in Pakistani society. Instead, t...

Pakistani governor buried under tightened security
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Thousands gathered under tight security Wednesday to pay silent homage at the Funeral of a provincial Governor shot dead by a Bodyguard who said he was enraged by the politician's opposition to laws ordering death for insulting Islam. Punjab Gov. Salman Taseer, 66, was a senior member of the ruling party regarded as an outspoken moderate in a country increasingly beset by zealotry. His Assassination on Tuesday added to the turmoil in nuclear-armed Pakistan, where the...

Former boss feared Pakistan suspect's "extremist" views
Islamabad (Reuters) - The supervising Police Officer of the Bodyguard accused of killing a Pakistani politician had asked for his removal from all sensitive security duties because of his extreme religious views, an investigator said on Thursday. The accused killer, identified as Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, said he was angered by outspoken Punjab Governor Salman Taseer's opposition to Pakistan's Controversial Blasphemy law. A senior police official investigating the case said Qadri had been dec...

Thoughts on the Salman Taseer Assassination
I spent yesterday reading about the Murder of Salman Taseer, the Governor of Punjab province in Pakistan, but I haven’t time to blog about it until now.  Taseer was a high-ranking member of the Most Powerful Pakistani political party and he was the Governor of the political and Cultural Center of the country.  He was apparently murdered because of his objections to Pakistan’s draconian anti-blasphemy laws, and campaigned on behalf of a Christian woman who had been sentenced...

Garlands for killer as Punjab leader is buried
Salmaan Taseer, the outspoken Pakistani politician who took a public stand against Bigotry and Discrimination and paid with his life for doing so, was buried yesterday with state honours amid tight security. Thousands of people turned out to attend prayers for the Governor of Punjab province, before his body was buried in a small cemetery in the city of Lahore. Dozens of close friends and relatives looked on and hugged as his coffin was placed in the dry earth of the Cavalry Ground cemetery. B...

Pakistan: Lawyers shower assassin of governor opposed to blasphemy law with rose petals
And another group of clerics warned no one should pray or "express regret" for the loss of Salman Taseer, who died essentially for committing "Blasphemy" against the blasphemy law. They said, "the supporter is as equally guilty as one who committed blasphemy." In barely two days, the wide reporting of this single case may have done more than any before it to rip the fig leaf of "moderation" off of Pakistan, and to show what a uselessly relative label "moderate" ultimately is. As one Pakistani...

Funeral for Pakistani governor killed for opposing blasphemy law delayed as several Islamic clerics refuse to lead it
The Tiny Minority of Extremists™ seems to be fully in the driver's seat in Pakistan. "Slain Punjab Governor Taseer laid to rest in Lahore," by M Zulqernain for the Press Trust of India, January 5 (thanks to Ravi): Lahore, Jan 5 (PTI) Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer, who was assassinated by his extremist Bodyguard for opposing the Controversial Blasphemy law, was laid to rest with full state honours in this eastern Pakistani city today amid tight security.... The Funeral prayer at the Governo...

Moderate Muslim Scholars Praise Man Who Murdered Pakistani Governor
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500 Islamic Clerics Misunderstand Islam...
Sheikyermami has a good roundup on the Murder of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer. Mercy! Those misunderstanders of Islam are everywhere it seems, Blame the Victim - Taseer himself responsible for killing "JAMAAT e Islami Ameer Syed Munawwar Hasan has said the Murder of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer is the outcome of obstructing the process of the law in which an accused of Blasphemy was being tried, adding that he (Taseer) himself was responsible for his death."...

Mainstream Pakistan religious organisations applaud killing of (Punjab Governor) Salman Taseer
Source: The Guardian Mumtaz Qadri, who killed Punjab Governor, showered with rose petals by lawyers as he arrives in court Saeed Shah in Islamabad | Wednesday January 5 2011 18.57 GMT - The increasing radicalisation of Pakistani society was today laid bare when mainstream religious organisations applauded the Murder of Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab, earlier this week and his killer was showered with rose petals as he appeared in court. Taseer was buried in his home town of Lahore. The 66...

'Moderate' Muslim Scholars Support Murdering Blasphemers
LAHORE, Pakistan — More than 500 Muslim scholars are praising the man suspected of killing a Pakistani Governor because the politician opposed Blasphemy laws that mandate death for those convicted of insulting Islam. The group of scholars and clerics known as Jamat Ahle Sunnat is affiliated with a moderate school of Islam and represents the mainstream Barelvi sect. The group said in a statement Wednesday that no one should pray for Punjab province Gov. Salman Taseer or express regret for h...

Paper: Taseer died for 'questioning a law'
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- The twist in the Assassination of Pakistan Punjab Gov. Salman Taseer was that while he broke no law, he died "for questioning a law," a Dawn editorial said. The reference was to Taseer's efforts to change Pakistan's Blasphemy law, under which a person can be sentenced to death for criticizing Islam, the Koran or the Prophet Mohammed. Taseer, a noted liberal, was gunned down allegedly by his own Security Guard in retaliation for his liberal views. "That unprec...

Morning Brief: Tensions high for Punjab governor's funeral
Why Isn't Obama Pressuring the Palestinians? - by Steven J. Rosen Why Do Coptic Christians Celebrate Christmas on a Different Day? - by Joshua E. Keating The Middle East Channel: Why isn't Obama pressuring the Palestinians? Top story: Pakistani security forces were on high alert ahead for the burial of the Punjab Governor who was assassinated by his own Bodyguard on Tuesday. 66-year-old Salman Taseer was reportedly killed because of his opposition to Pakistan's Blasphemy laws and his advocacy...

Morning Brief: Tensions high for Punjab governor's funeral
Why Isn't Obama Pressuring the Palestinians? - by Steven J. Rosen Why Do Coptic Christians Celebrate Christmas on a Different Day? - by Joshua E. Keating The Middle East Channel: Why isn't Obama pressuring the Palestinians? Top story: Pakistani security forces were on high alert ahead for the burial of the Punjab Governor who was assassinated by his own Bodyguard on Tuesday. 66-year-old Salman Taseer was reportedly killed because of his opposition to Pakistan's Blasphemy laws and his advocacy...

Assassination Generates More Threats in Pakistan
Worries over Pakistan's future deepened dramatically after Tuesday's Assassination of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer by one of his own Bodyguards. The guard says he did it because of Taseer's opposition to Blasphemy laws which allow executions for people who insult Islam. While some mourn the loss of "a voice of tolerance in society," an Islamist group considered moderate used the Murder and Wednesday's Funeral to issue a threat against Taseer's allies. The Jamaat-e-Ahl-Sunnat, which opposes the...