Six years ago today, former Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer was murdered by his own guard, Mumtaz Qadri, in Kohsar market, Islamabad.
To honour his father on his sixth death anniversary, the slain governor’s son, Shaan Taseer, posted a video on Facebook in which he spoke about what he had learnt from his father, and he called for equal rights for all Pakistanis, regardless of any faith.
“We live in a society which oppresses its weakest section and where no Ahmadi, Shia and Christian can live their lives according to their wishes,” he said.
He continued, “This year Pakistan will become 70 years old and this is the country which was constituted to safeguard the lives and interests of the Muslim minority of the South Asia.”
“Today, being a nation, let’s commit ourselves to treat every Pakistani equally whether they are Shia, Sunni, Ahmadi or Christian… One nation, one blood, one Pakistan… Pakistan for all… Long live Pakistan.” he concluded.
An FIR was registered on Saturday against Shaan Taseer for alleged ‘hate speech’ after he posted a video on Facebook, greeting fellow countrymen on the occasion of Christmas. He also requested prayers for blasphemy victims including Asia Bibi, Nabeel Masih and their families, and all other Pakistanis languishing in jails on charges of blasphemy.