On January 4, 2015, several people had attacked participants of a candle light vigil organised to mark the death anniversary of former governor Salman Taseer. People had gathered at Liberty Chowk to mark the death anniversary of ex-governor of Punjab – Salman Taseer – who was shot and killed by his own guard – Mumtaz Qadri – in broad day light in December 2011 in Islamabad.A group of four-five people showed up at the scene, snatched and tore up placards and photos of Salman Taseer before beating up the participants of the vigil.The armed men – riding a motorbike – attacked the members of civil society who had gathered at Liberty Chowk to mark Taseer’s fourth death anniversary and teared down the portraits of the former governor. However in a positive development An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday convicted five people for attacking a candlelight vigil organised to mark death anniversary of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer. During the hearing, ATC judge Haroon Latif awarded five-year prison terms to Adeel, Farhan and Kashif. Two other men – Iftikhar and Wazir Ali – have been sent to jail for three years. The court acquitted two suspects, Din Muhammad and Sajid, giving them the benefit of the doubt. These attacks however represent a very dangerous mentality, one that finds its moral duty to hurt people and destroy private and public property. Putting aside the ambivalent sentiments that the general population may have towards the vigil or the Blasphemy laws, vandalism and mob violence in Pakistan is rampant and needs to be made punishable.In Islamabad, the moral brigade is back in action, blackening the faces of women on billboards. It does not matter that these are paid for and put by hardworking Pakistanis and cost money and effort. Public property is for all and not for some. In the case of this vigil, the attackers showed a blatant disregard for a martyred man, who was a government official no less, as well as the sentiments of the people there. Strange, that the feelings of “devout” Muslims are so hurt by the freedom of speech and association, and their solution is to cause more hurt and pain.The case also opens up important questions for the future of law. Will future hate crimes be charged under the folds of religious terrorism? Is the Supreme Court set to define the boundaries of religious terrorism and minority protection? Eight hours before Salman Taseer’s assassination, he had tweeted an Urdu couplet by Shakeel Badayuni: “My resolve is so strong that I do not fear the flames from without, I fear only the radiance of the flowers, that it might burn my garden down.” Though it is reported that the verdict was perhaps only achieved through consistent pursuit of the case by the petitioner, civil society activist Abdullah Malik, it is a victory for justice, fair play and the right of citizens to peacefully protest. Liberals, democrats and progressive people have reclaimed the public space the extremists wished to deny them. The verdict by the Anti-Terrorist Court is a triumph of good sense.
pk.shafaqna.com
Vigil attack: The verdict is triumph of progressive forces
