Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: A candlelight vigil was organised to mark the sixth death anniversary of former Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer at Koshsar Market in Islamabad, who was assasinated by his own security guard Mumtaz Qadri for demanding reforms in blasphemy laws in 2011.

The participants belonging to civil society of the capital city gathered on the death spot of assassinated governor Punjab on Wednesday evening to pay tribute to him.

The candlelight vigil was arranged on main road of the Kohsar Market where participants recalled Salman’s services for marginalised segments of the society while flowers were also laid on footpath in addition to a candlelight vigil.

The deployment of law enforcement agencies was also made on the spot to ensure security as last year a similar commemoration to mark death anniversary of late Salmaan Taseer was attacked by some miscreants in Lahore.

Participants of the commemoration were of the view that Taseer was not just an asset but a symbol of progressive Pakistan. He was a true representative of liberal Pakistan. “Undesirable forces who follow anti-state ideology defy Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s vision of a progressive, liberal and progressive Pakistan,” they said.

The purpose of the event is to show solidarity with the victims of extremism and terrorism and also to pay tributes to those who lost their lives in the struggle to save humanity. “We salute Salmaan Taseer who lost his life while serving and saving the humanity,” a participant in the commemoration commented.

Workers and owners operating restaurants in Kohsar Market also praised the former governor’s personality and declared his murder as a murder of peace. A person working at a restaurant recalled his memory and said; “I was here when he was gunned down by his guard. It was quite unfortunate event and everyone was shocked and in deep grief on that day.”

He said, “I had a chance of handshake with Salmaan Taseer as he was a frequent visitor of our market.”

Salmaan Taseer was the 26th governor of Punjab, who was assassinated for raising his voice against misue of blasphemy laws to persecute religious minorities in Pakistan.

He was born in 1946. His father Mohammad Deen Taseer (famously known as MD Taseer) was a poet and guides to legends like Faiz Ahmed Faiz as well as being one of the founders of the Progressive Writers’ Movement in the 1930s.

His mother Christabel (Bilquees) was a British leftist activist and elder sister of Alys, later Alys Faiz. The two sisters had left their homes and come to India where they met their future husbands.