ISLAMABAD, (Reuters) – A politician gunned down over his opposition to Pakistan’s blasphemy laws was buried yesterday 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 close to President Asif Ali Zardari, had championed the cause of a Christian woman sentenced to death under the blasphemy laws which critics say are used to target religious minorities, often to settle personal scores.
His killing in broad daylight at a shopping centre in Islamabad on Tuesday showed how difficult, and how dangerous, it would be to roll back a tide of religious conservatism which is growing in strength in the Muslim country of 170 million.
Taseer was killed by one of his guards, who said he was incensed by the politician’s opposition to the blasphemy laws, in a parking lot at a block of shops popular with foreigners.
The scholars praised the “courage” and religious zeal of the killer, saying his action had made Muslims around the world proud. Pakistani officials said they were investigating whether the killing was part of a wider conspiracy.
The blasphemy laws have widespread support in a country that is more than 95 percent Muslim, and most politicians are loath to be seen as soft on the defence of Islam. Taseer, however, was an outspoken critic.
Thousands waved ruling Pakistan People’s Party flags at Taseer’s funeral at his official residence in the city of Lahore, which was attended by Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and other top government officials.
The Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat Pakistan group of scholars making the veiled threat is from what is seen as a relatively moderate school of Islam in Pakistan. It is a vocal critic of militants violently opposed to the government and its ally Washington.
However, they have been leading protests in favour of the blasphemy law.
The hardline stand taken by them illustrates how difficult it can be for Washington, which sees Islamabad as indispensable in its war on militancy, to persuade Pakistani leaders to crack down harder on religious extremism.
“More than 500 scholars of the Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat have advised Muslims not to offer the funeral prayers of Governor Punjab Salman Taseer nor try to lead the prayers,” the group said in a statement.
“Also, there should be no expression of grief or sympathy on the death of the governor, as those who support blasphemy of the Prophet are themselves indulging in blasphemy.”
Many people writing on social media have praised Taseer’s assassination. When his accused killer, wearing a black hood, was brought to court in a police vehicle, some people screamed Allahu Akbar (God is greatest). Others threw rose petals.
