Musician Celebrities Condemn Salmaan Taseer’s Assassination

January 4, 2011

Salmaan Taseer's crime scene

Pakistan will not be a country ruled by mullahs with a divine mission, said Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the father of the nation. What about Jinnah’s Pakistan? Islam teaches peace and forgiveness not revenge. Islam teaches that God is Al-Ghaffur “The All-Forgiving”, and is the original source of all forgiveness (ghufran غفران). Forgiveness often requires the repentance of those being forgiven. Depending on the type of wrong committed, forgiveness can come either directly from Allah, or from one’s fellow man who received the wrong. In the case of divine forgiveness, the asking for divine forgiveness via repentance is important. In the case of human forgiveness, it is important to both forgive, and to be forgiven. The Qur’an never allows for violent behavior on the part of Muslim believers. The Qur’an makes it clear that, whenever possible, it is better to forgive another than to attack another.

The 56-year-old Salmaan Taseer, the governor of Pakistan’s Punjab province was killed by one of his elite security force protectors near his Islamabad home in the F6 sector and close to Kohsar market.

It was his stance against the blasphemy laws that apparently led to his killing. The gunman killed Taseer because “the governor described the blasphemy laws as a black law (kala qanoon).”

A spokesperson of the Polyclinic Hospital confirmed that the governor had been hit by 25 bullets.

The last words of Salmaan Taseer were “To Hell Where They Belong”

Below are Governor of Punjab, Salmaan Taseer’s last online tweets:

Mera azm itna bulund hae Parae sholon se dar nahin.
Mujhe dar hae tu atish e gul se hae Ye kahin chaman ko jala na dein

I was under huge pressure sure 2 cow down b4 rightest pressure on blasphemy.Refused. Even if I’m the last man standing

Religous right trying 2 pressurise from the street their support of blasphemy laws.Point is it must be decided in Parlaiment not on the road

My observation on minorities: A man/nation is judged by how they support those weaker than them not how they lean on those stronger

Mullah back lash attacking my stance demanding my resignation.Rakhte Dil bandh lo Dil fagaro chalo.Phir hamen qatl ho ayen Yaro chalo

Muslims and musician celebrities around the country condemned the attack.

Fasi Zaka is a television host, political columnist, radio talk show host, and a music critic in Pakistan. He tweeted:

Karzai doesn’t trust Afghan guards, uses Americans instead. Ultimate failure in a nation state. We moving in that direction now? That they killed a man today is a tragedy, that many celebrate it is an atrocity.

Taimur Rahman is an academic, political activist and a musician from Pakistan. He is the band leader and spokesperson for the music group named Laal. He said:

The murder of Salmaan Taseer is a real tragedy. The intention is to permanently silence anyone who speaks up against religious fanatics.

Sami Yusuf, a British singer-songwriter who’s music consists mostly of songs relating to Islam, tweeted:

Salman Taseer gave his life for staying true to his principles. May He RIP & may God grant his family and loved ones Peace & patience.

Shahvar Ali Khan, a singer and economic writer condemned the attack by saying:

Grieved beyond words. RIP Salmaan Taseer. Will miss your brave presence taking on the bastards who shot you. Taseer’s murder has the Indira Gandhi assassination signature scribbled in blood all over it. may u rest in peace, all you did was try to save a poor christian woman from the gallows, bravely standing up to the ghoul of Islamofascism. May your death not lie in the dark of political mystery but may it usher in a fairer, more just nation. For Salmaan Taseer, a man with many distinctions well. Another Progressive sheds blood for a tolerant, peaceful and plural Pakistan. People might have two opinions about you, but I salute you for your bravery n an unabashed belief in raising your voice, despite all dangers. Not fair, Not fair, Not fair. RIP Salmaan Taseer.

Sajid Ghafoor, a musician and a lawyer, who’s currently lecturing at the Law College, Peshawar University. Sajid was responsible for creating an underground music scene in Peshawar in the mid-nineties by establishing a band called “Still” with his younger brother, Sarmad Ghafoor. He is also part of the band, Sajid & Zeeshan. He said:

A very sad day for Pakistan. manipulated literacy / illiteracy still prevails. Religion is a double edged sword, it cuts both ways. Even though Islamic law is clear, killing in cold blood is murder, no matter what the motive is. Only the state has the right to pass any such punishment, even if death Penalty, but after a fair trial.

Salman Taseer was only guilty of standing up for something that lots of other politicians should’ve stood up for ages ago, post Zia era. Rights of the people, be it Muslim or non Muslim. These days we live amongst a considerable portion of illiterate literate people. That’s dangerous, for everyone living in Pakistan. They are literate but actually illiterate cos they read but never understood what they read, They may have the education but surely don’t possess the wisdom.

Zia ul haq was the one who put the timer to this bomb. What amazes me is that no one notices the chain reaction which has been going on for so long. It only suggests one thing. None of the politicians really care about Pakistan. Which was and is obvious. Then why the hell do we vote for them. Screw the concept of voting for the lesser evil. Enough of that shyte! We need a change, a serious change. We need to be humans again and start from scratch, after all this is where it has led us all to, the bottom of everything.

A country where illiteracy is on the rise and religion is highly distorted, what else can we expect? But then who are these people who are doing this to us? Why are we allowing this to happen to ourselves? Are we always just gonna complain until we lose it all? If that’s the plan, then we all surely are playing our parts well. In short, Bye Bye Pakistan!

What he did is what none of these so called leaders can even dare to think of. He actually cared about his country. None of them give a damn. It seems a small faction of losers are ruling us into losing it all. If majority truly is authority, it should work that way too, the tables have to be turned.

The youth of Pakistan (fortunately!) is more wise than the people in control. I believe some of them will make a move sooner or later (I hope sooner) we all lack a leader, a voice thats how the herd acts, the shepherd has to call, but lets make sure the shepherd himself is from the herd.

I feel like we’re still in the cave ages, I mourn not for this one bad episode only but many others that happened before it and the same way. It just has to change, these patterns only speak of destruction of a society and nothing else.

We only have Imran Khan whom hasn’t been tested yet. Who else do we have? I say give him a chance too and if that doesn’t work, shake up the entire system, top to bottom. We have nothing to lose anyway, economically and politically we’re smashed to bits in pieces, socially we’re losing it all too and lets not drag religion into this, it has nothing to do with this at all. this is pure barbarism and an act of murder in cold blood and it should be called what it actually is. No religion teaches such absurdity so lets keep that aside. As for fair trials, no matter what it means under our system prevalent in Pakistan, but there is a thing called the judicial system which still works, fair or unfair, every person is subject to it and should be subjected to it when in question, no man or woman has the right to play the judge, jury, plaintiff and executioner all at once.

If this is democracy (as that’s what they call it) then every person has the right to have their view. You can’t, and shall not kill someone for having a different concept than yours and if that is the case, then lets bring out all the guns and knives and see where it all leads us. If civilized is what we refer to ourselves then we should act it as well, we cant just talk the talk and not walk it.

What pisses me off more is that when such things happen people start defending religion. I say why??? What has Islam or any other religion got to do with this anyway? Do you guys not realize, the more you start defending religion, the more the other person thinks maybe it has something to do with religion for sure. Why not speak the truth? Why not call it what it actually is? I rarely see the person killing as the killer. I see him as the gun himself, the trigger is somewhere else. The bullet is just the message and we misread it every time. Are we that dumb now? Religion is just being used, like it has been used since ages to cover up the mess they want to create. it has absolutely NOTHING to do with it at all. We still have puppet masters up there and the puppets are just misled, as there is now an abundance of that in country. Unfortunately!

Ali Azmat, a leading Rock Icon in Pakistan who gained recognition as the lead vocalist of the pop/rock band Junoon tweeted:

Goodbye Salmaan Taseer you were such a charming and a good man rest in peace we will always remember you

Ali Zafar also known as the Prince of Pop, is a Pakistani musician, actor, painter and model. He said:

Maayusi gunah hai laikin aaj gunah say ruka nahin ja raha. What a tragic incident. What has happened to this society. Media and anchors should be more responsible in formulating public opinion. Focus on promoting tolerant point of view rather than intolerant. Some anchors in order to hype their ratings create controversial programming which results in negativity. Be accountable and responsible. Also as far as I know the Prophet (p.b.u.h) said not to say anything negative about someone who has died. Pray for him.

Akash Sam, a Pakistani Pop/Rock musician condemned the attack by saying:

If The Governor Of Punjab Is Not Safe In Pakistan, Then Who Is Safe? Sad News.

Arieb Azhar is a Pakistani Sufi & Folk music artist. He said:

Salmaan Taseer murdered in Islamabad! For what!? For standing up for the rights of a poor and dispossessed Christian woman! And now those who were calling him a heretic western spy will say that this was done by the enemies of Islam! I say: there is no heresy worse than this Islam of the maulvis/taliban. The universal religion of Humanity of all the Prophets – the original Islam – is indeed in danger from this lunacy!

I am inspired by a Prophet who refused to even rebuke the woman who used to throw garbage on Him every day – and one day when she didn’t turn up, He went to inquire about her health, and tended to her when He discovered her unwell. This was the Expression of the Rehman the Rahim. Meri nazar me to Salmaan Taseer bilkul shaheed hai, for he was killed for speaking the truth.

She (Asia) is a poor laborer woman, who had gone to get water from the well. An argument broke out between her and other Muslim women who refused to drink out of the same pitcher, and she let them have a piece of her mind. But this was enough for the local maulvi to condemn her as being wajib ul qatl. Should not the law protect people like her, specially those which claim to be in the name of a religion which begins with Al Rehman Al Rahim?

Todd Shea is a humanitarian and a musician who stood by Arieb’s side, and condemned the attack by saying:

Arieb, you are one of the greatest Muslims I have ever met and one of the greatest Human Beings I have ever met. I the share the pain of this insanity with you and commend you for speaking the truth. It is only people such as you who can save Pakistan from those who have let hate, anger, arrogance and ignorance overrule their humanity and God-given ability to reason with compassion and love always alive and present in their hearts and minds. Clearly Salmaan Taseer actually honored The Holy Prophet (PBUH) by standing up against something that has severely damaged or ended the lives of innocent people and has the potential to be further misused to persecute and destroy the wrongly accused and most vulnerable members of Pakistani Society. Everything that I have been taught about The Holy Prophet (PBUH) and his life convinces me that he would never condone such unilateral action as this murder, and that He would be forgiving even in the face of someone clearly guilty of insult as with the lady you mentioned who abused him. I can’t understand why those who use violence in a claim to defend The Holy Prophet’s honor are so blind that they won’t just follow his example in how he dealt with such circumstances in his life. I applaud your art, I applaud your courage, and I applaud your humanity in the face of such intense evil, intolerance and ignorance.

It is Allah who plans everything not the people!