Governor Salmaan Taseer: Rest in Peace
By Ras H. Siddiqui
Sacramento , CA
“There is a journey during which, it’s not the legs that ache but the heart” (Aik safar woh hai jis mein, paoon nahin, dil thakta hai) are the words from late Urdu poet Ahmed Faraz which came to mind on hearing of Governor Salmaan Taseer’s murder in Pakistan by a person assigned to be his bodyguard.
On January 4 th the life of Pakistani Punjab’s brave and charismatic leader ended at the young age of 66. A liberal to the core, Salmaan left behind his wife and six children from Pakistan plus what is known as his “Indian connection”. Condolences go out from the heart to all of them, not only for their huge loss but with sincere apologies for the behavior of a segment of the Pakistani population which actually proceeded to congratulate his killer. The void that his family must feel now is understandable, and this feeling needs to be shared by our Diaspora around the world too, which along with acknowledging his loss must ask the very difficult question: Where is that country heading?
This scribe never met Salmaan Taseer or knew his immediate family. But I do know for a fact that there still remains a small but significant secular population in Lahore and in other cities of the Punjab province which should not be overlooked by outsiders. Punjabis (in both Pakistan and India) are a predominantly hard working lot who have retained their ability to have a good time in spite of the more recent encroachment of an extremist religion into their lives. In Pakistan, the debate on whether the spring “Basant” kite festival should be celebrated or not, as it approaches every year, is a case in point. In spite of many obstacles the beautiful people of Lahore (especially Lahori women) turn out in the thousands on their rooftops telling the religious extremists to “go fly a kite” by doing just that. The people of this city also love to eat well and dance to the rhythms of their rich dhol/drum-based music.
Added to this secular mix was the very witty and the fun-loving Salmaan Taseer, a self-made man who not only allowed his Daily Times newspaper to uphold its journalistic independence against some serious odds, but also kept projecting the liberal face of Pakistan, sadly one which appears to be even more endangered after his death. And one has to ask that question: What did he die for?
Asia Bibi is a Christian woman accused of blasphemy in Pakistan. One is not exactly sure of the details of the charges against her, but in Pakistan these charges resulted in her getting the death penalty. Although one has to admit that it would be extremely foolish to indulge in “blasphemous activities” in the religiously and politically volatile environment in that country today, what should be questioned is the accuracy of the charges, especially against non-Muslims living there. Are people being accused just to settle old scores, because they may be competitors or just because they possess an independent mindset? And is trying to get a pardon for someone who is accused of “blaspheming the Prophet” reason enough to kill him or her (like Salmaan Taseer)? Is this how one should show the love of our Prophet as Malik Mumtaz Qadri, the man who openly admits to killing Taseer, has done? All the late Governor did was question the Blasphemy Law and how it is implemented. Is just questioning a law blasphemy now? And is protecting religious minorities in Pakistan, in this case Asia Bibi, reason enough for someone like Qadri to become the judge, jury and executioner?
The biggest disappointment to our liberals has been the recent attitude of some Barelvi religious leaders in Pakistan. The Barelvi School in Islam is one to which a majority in the country adhere to. Till recently, it was thought that the Barelvis would remain a strong liberal counterweight to the more conservative minority Deobandi and Wahabi schools in Pakistan. Now, after the Salman Taseer killing, it appears that the Barelvis too have become attracted to extremist ideas in spite of their stated opposition to the Taliban in the region.
The only positive outcome following Salmaan Taseer’s assassination has been the political emergence of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the co-chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), currently residing in Britain. In a recent speech, young Bilawal strongly backed the rights of minorities in Pakistan and condemned extremists, including the killers of Salmaan Taseer. But as one who had decided to stop supporting the younger Bhutto after his mother Benazir’s assassination, it is time to add that good governance is the extremists’ worst nightmare. The question is: will the PPP-led government in Pakistan ever be able to provide that deterrence, and if so, when?
2001 is the centenary year of Urdu poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz, one of the finest writers who have emerged from the region since Ghalib. Many events are planned to honor this great South Asian liberal-progressive writer this year worldwide. It is ironic that the year should also start with the murder of Salmaan Taseer who was the nephew of Faiz’s wife Alys (Salmaan Taseer’s mother was English).
May the brave Governor now rest in peace. For that reason, and for thought connectivity, let us leave with Faiz sahib’s writing in (attempted) translation with just a few lines from his poem “Nisar mein teri galyon kay…”: “ This life dedicated to you oh streets of my homeland where, the custom now is that no one should keep their head up high. Those that love here and openly want to express that love, instead must avert their eyes; protect their body and their life.”
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