ISLAMABAD – Salmaan Taseer, the assassinated governor of Punjab, has sacrificed his life for interfaith harmony, religious freedom and equality for all human beings and a mindset which misused blasphemy laws, was behind his assassination, said Shahbaz Bhatti, federal minister for Minorities Affairs.
In a press statement on Wednesday, he said that the assassination of Salmaan Taseer was a barbaric act of religious violence as he took a principled stand against misuse of the law. Bhatti said that ‘fatwas’ and blasphemy laws were being used to victimize innocent people belonging to minorities.
He said that the nation and political parties should take stand against the misuse of the laws, as this situation was destabilizing the country. “Those who issued decree for the killing should be investigated and blasphemy laws should be reviewed to control the increasing intolerance in the society,” he said.
He condemned the assassination of the governor, saying that he (Taseer) sacrificed his life for the rights of oppressed minorities and interfaith harmony.
