Punjabs Governor was killed by his own bodyguard for supporting the release of a Christian woman who had allegedly blasphemed against the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The late Governors take was that the law is misused to oppress minorities in Pakistan. For once, I do not care what should be done with this case because I am not yet over the fact that Pakistanis have failed me on three fronts this time a) the fact that a Pakistani was killed by a fellow Pakistani merely for having a conflicting opinion about an issue that was still being debated, b) the way some of us responded by treating this like a joke or even celebrating the murder and c) some of us have even labelled this as Gods revenge. I have yet to come across a single statement by the governor insulting our Prophet.
Death of a government official hurts our country, meaning thereby it hurts us. His murder is utter madness because people cannot be killed just for having conflicting opinions, or we’ll end up killing each other. If the issue is politicised, it could threaten the unity of Pakistanis as is becoming apparent (Pakistan’s minorities must be more scared than ever now). And lastly, its painfully ironic that the woman who allegedly blasphemed is still alive and the Muslim who had been associated with that case is dead despite believing in One God.
ZIAD BASHIR
Lahore
