ISLAMABAD – Civil society activists on Wednesday held a vigil in the memory of slain Punjab Governor Salman Taseer at the place of his assassination in Kohsar Market, F-6 Sector in the capital.
A large number of civil society activists and workers of the Pakistan People’s Party gathered at the spot and lit candles.
The activists condemning the murder said that religious fanaticism had engulfed the country, which should be combated through state policies. They also called for repealing all the ‘discriminatory laws’ in the constitution.
Farzana Bari, a women’s rights activist, said that Pakistani politicians should rise above their political interests and work for reforming the society.
“Militancy and religious intolerance have threatened the very foundations of our society. An across the board reforms are needed. The government should identify the elements funding the ‘extremist’ religious seminaries. All the religious seminaries should be nationalised and converted into schools where students be taught the same syllabi being taught in the government schools,” Farzana Bari said.
Ayub Malik, an activist of Awami Party Pakistan, said that Taseer’s murder was an eye-opener for the policy-makers of the country. They should understand where the country was heading.
