LAHORE, Pakistan — Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan, has joined the mourners paying tributes to Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab province who was assassinated today for his opposition to the Islamic blasphemy law.
Taseer, 66, was shot by his security guard when he emerged from lunch at a restaurant in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province.
After pumping nine bullets into the governor, Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri lay down his gun, claiming that he carried it out to avenge his stand on the controversial blasphemy law.
“I killed the governor because he termed the blasphemy law as kala kanoon (black law),” Qadri told the police later.
“This is very shocking. We have lost a great friend and a bold crusader against the blasphemy law,” Archbishop Saldanha said from his office in Lahore.
The blasphemy law makes insulting the Quran an offense punishable by life imprisonment, while being found guilty of insulting the prophet Mohammed brings an automatic death sentence. The Catholic Commission has repeatedly said the controversial law is often misused against Christians and others to settle property and personal disputes.
Taseer had become the target of Islamic fundamentalists in recent weeks after he took a bold stand on the law. This happened after Asia Bibi, a 45-year old Christian mother of five, was sentenced to death by a trial court on a blasphemy charge Nov. 7.
Bibi had a quarrel with her Muslim neighbor on the flow of drain water from their houses at Itanwalli village in Punjab.
While the quarrel continued in the fruit field where they worked together, Muslim neighbors verbally abused the “untouchable” Christian woman for using the common glass provided to the workers to drink water.
Church activists point out that the blasphemy charge was brought against Bibi for standing up to the taunts.
Even as the international outcry led by Pope Benedict XVI for Bibi’s release gathered momentum, Taseer visited Bibi, who had been kept in isolation in jail since her June 2009 arrest. He wanted to verify her story and get her signature for a clemency petition he was to send to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.
Following the news leak of this initiative, Islamic scholars issued an apostasy decree against the governor on Nov. 24, forcing Zardari to back down from the move to grant executive pardon and release Bibi.
Islamic parties and groups organized protests outside the Governor’s House in Lahore, warning of a fierce reaction if Bibi was released or if an attempt to amend the blasphemy law was initiated.
Archbishop Saldanha, who had known Taseer from their days together at St. Antony’s School in Lahore, recalled his last meeting with him. “The governor had invited me for a Christmas dinner at his residence on Dec. 23.
“When I thanked him for his support for Asia, the governor spoke out strongly against the blasphemy law. Unfortunately, the new year has begun here on a sad note with his assassination. It is a great loss for us,” Archbishop Saldanha said.
A businessman and a legislator, Taseer was appointed governor of Punjab in May 2008. The province is home to 56% of the population of Pakistan.
The archbishop, who heads the Catholic Church in Pakistan, where 97% of its 170 million people are Muslims, said the assassination will have “a negative impact” on civil and church activists campaigning against the blasphemy law.
“This will only add to the fear that is already there.”
Register correspondent Anto Akkara writes from Bangalore, India.
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peace be upon the prophet Muhamad and his followers!There is no compulsion in religion. Which religion? any religion but mine- says the prophet..
“This is very shocking. We have lost a great friend and a bold crusader against the blasphemy law,” Archbishop Saldanha said from his office in Lahore.
Perhaps he could have avoided calling him a ‘crusader’ as many Muslims still believe that the Crusaders (i.e. Christians) are out to get them. This gives fuel to propagandists and vindicates the killer in the eyes of the radicals.
Islam is taking over government, justice and Muslem societies as Christians are targeted in retaliation for US and its allies war of terrorism. How many more Christians must die in the hands of darkness while the world stands by….
This is a perfect example of Muslim extremism, and a simple Christian woman is set to be put to death for such an idiotic law, that is beyond archaic, and utterly ridiculous. These people shame themselves, how very sad.
In my The Joyful Catholic blog,to make my readers aware of the dibolical forces attacking our Church, I am including a “Today’s Martyrs” column.
Armiger Jagoe, editor
The Joyful Catholic
Further proof, if any were needed, that where Islam ascends people & nations descend to barbarity.
Once again a muslim proves what Islam is really about.
“Perhaps he could have avoided calling him a ‘crusader’ as many Muslims still believe that the Crusaders (i.e. Christians) are out to get them. This gives fuel to propagandists and vindicates the killer in the eyes of the radicals.”
Is there ever any excuse for killing a human being? In the eyes of Christ, who lives in us, no. Any life lost hurts us all…in this case a man who had more courage than most of us. It’s a terrible loss and the ongoing massacre of Middle East Christians is frightening. God help them.
Taseer is a martyr! He has done his work. May the Pope and all Catholics continue to speak out and BE SILENT NO MORE! This is our modern day CRUSADE…..may God keep Christians in the Holy Land strong in their Faith.
History repeats itself…...can we now get rid of the political correctness that insists on denying the true cause and need for the crusades: Muslim take-over of the Holy Lands and prevention of Christian worship?
Unfortunately this isn’t an example of Muslim extremism, this is an example of mainline Islam.
I was immensely upset by the stupidity of Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan, who used the word “Crusader” to describe Salman Taseer. Salman Taseer, the Governor of Punjab Province, who was gunned down in Lahore January 4, 2011 for opposing the Islamic blasphemy law. His Excellency should know better. “Crusade”, since it was used by President George W Bush on Sunday September 16, 2001 to characterized his invasion of Iraq, has been viewed by Muslims as a codeword for Christian brutality against the Muslims. Recalling, as it does, to their minds the depredations of the Holy Roman Empire from 1095-1291. Bush can be excused for using this emotionally charged word. He is an intellectual zero. But, His Excellency, with a DD [Divinitatis Doctor], an advanced academic degree in Divinity, should know better. Referring to any Christian action against Muslims as a “Crusade” is like waving a red cloth in front of an enraged bull, like pouring oil on a conflagration. If His Excellency has any sense he would immediately apologize for the use the word. In order to defuse an already tense situation in Pakistan. And, before any innocent Christian lives are lost due to his insensitivity. In fact, as a cradle-Catholic these 71 years, born, coincidentally, and Baptized, in the city of Lahore, where Taseer has been gunned down and where Archbishop Saldanha has committed this boo-boo, I would like to ask His Holiness Pope Benedict 16 to proscribe the use of the word “Crusader” from all Catholic discourse henceforth. For one, it gives offense to our Muslim brothers and sisters. And, secondly, the loss of even one Christian life is too high a price to pay for the luxury of such offensive freedom of speech. – Egbert F Bhatty
In a civilized society, no one would receive death because someone used a particular word to describe them. We are dealing with barbarians and as long as people like Egbert F Bhatty bend down and grab their ankles to accomodate such evil, we are never going to overcome these barbarians. Also, while Bush did many things that irked me (like cow towing to politically correct people and compromising with liberals on almost everything but the war on terror and prolife) he is no intellectual light weight. It is just some are naive enough to be swayed by the lame stream media who continually propagandize against conservatives in general and George Bush and the Catholic Church in particular, (in case you haven’t noticed Egbert).
Let’s not turn the victim into a culprit. We in the free world have a freedom of speech and the Church is independent from the state and does not rule the government or their policies.
At the same time, those responsible for these atrocious acts are responsible for their action. And if that’s divine intervention, then what does that say about their god??
What can the civilized world do ? No use simply condemning the dastrdly acts. The real intellectuals of Pakistan should rise against this cruel and barbaric legislation. This blasphemy law is like the anti conversion law in some States of India. Both have the hidden agenda of crucifying the christians. In Pak and in India the population of christians is around 2percent. How intolrant the muslim community in all their countries ! Only God can help.
I beg you, Egbert F Bhatty, do not try to confuse anyone by your defence of the murder of Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab. We know the mission of the Muslim Adherents is to destroy the Christian Faith. To them, we are kafirs and infidels and they believe and preach that any Muslim who kills a Christian is destined to go directly to Heaven. Until and unless the Muslims accept that we all worship ONE GOD who is the Creator of us all, and stop trying to annihilate the Church of Christ, there shall never be any peace for Christians living in Islamic countries or anywhere in the world where the Muslims have vowed to conquer and Islamize. This is their declared Agenda behind their attacks on Christians in all Muslim countries and every other Nation their terrorists attacks have been carried out. Already the persecution of Catholics is viciously ongoing in Nigeria, Iran, Iraq, Afganistan, India, Phillipines, Kenya, Uganda and Vietnam. The Catholic Church is under sustained persecutions in these countries and there is no point in trying to mollify a Faith which has sworn to wipe us out of the face of the earth. This is not Muslim extremism. IT IS THE AUTHENTIC MUSLIM BELIEF THAT WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO LIVE AND MUST EITHER ACCEPT TO CONVERT TO THE MUSLIM FAITH OR BE MOWED DOWN AND OUR FAITH BURIED FOR EVER.
Islam,asserting its superiority over non-Muslims and male over female—1400 years of this crap with no end in sight.
Muslim hatred of the West has been brewing since the beginning of the 19th century. It came to a first boil in 1857 with the Muslim Revolt to overthrow the British in India. It failed. It was brutally put down. There were atrocities on both sides, Muslim and British. Muslim hatred of the West only grew as, from that onwards, the West occupied their lands in the Middle East and plundered their resources, chiefly oil. However, for one, brief, shining, moment – from 1916-1918—a Westerner understood the Muslim mind. When T E Lawrence – Lawrence of Arabia – persuaded the Arab / Muslims to revolt against the Ottoman Turks / Empire. How Lawrence won over the Muslims – through Christian Love – specifically, the Matthew 5:44 kind of Christian Love—is beautifully depicted in David Lean’s 1962 film about that event. How?—the Muslims saw that “he cared.” Since that time the West has only kicked the Muslims. And, the result is what we have today. Intense, and intensifying, hatred of Christians and Christianity. Intense hatred can be dealt with. But, hatred that is intensifying daily throughout the Muslim world from Algeria to Indonesia is the result of [President George W] Bush’s stupidity. First, Afghanistan. And, if that was not enough, then Iraq. Stupidity further compounded by the torture that he, Bush, authorized be inflicted on Muslims, many innocent, at Bagram and Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. And, authorized, also, in a most flagrant disregard of the Geneva Convention—water boarding. Muslim newspapers, radio, and TV, remind Muslims of these horrific Christian deeds against Muslims every day. And, it fuels anti-Christian hatred every day. Insensitive people like Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha simply pour more fuel on the fire. There is a Christian way to moderate Muslim anger, moisten Muslim hearts. Lawrence of Arabia found it. So can we. It’s there in Matthew 5:44. Jesus cannot be wrong. —Egbert F Bhatty
Let us not be cradle Cathoic COWARDS! “Crusade!” “Crusade!” Perhaps the day the word JIHAD is no longer uttered, perhaps then, it will not be necessary.
Christians including Catholics did not support US war of Iraq or Afghanistan. Islam has clearly defended terrorist acts against Christians…
Idiotic and Sad
Muslims have been attacking Christians for 1400 years, not just since 1867. And the “lands in the Middle East” were Christian before they were Muslim. Much of the area that St. Paul converted was invaded by Muslims who forced the inhabitants to convert at the point of a sword. Let us get history straight. Muslims have never wanted to peacefully coexist. I agree with Eliza. As long as they will use the word jihad, they have no right to be upset by Crusade. These people are barbarians. We must never forget that.
Let us first identify what is civil and what is not. Each society with a unique culture has their own understanding about it in their own way.
What really matters is how “human” we really are. I have uslim friends and they can be as friendly as possible even though I don’t agree with what they believe versus my Catholic conviction.
But Tarseer simply did what he believed would be offensive and unjust not only to Christians, but to all other beliefs in that country.
A Christian nation with 5% Muslim population even counts the very rights of this small percentage seeing to it that their human freedom is well respected. They do not mixed Politics with religion. I only see such unfair establishment of Governments when Islam plays a role to dictate over it. Definitely, Islam sets unfair standards that depletes the rights of any other just because they think there religion is the “truth”. In general, there really is no peace in the “Religion of Peace.”
God bless Tarseer, and may his acts to protect Christ’s body hurry Him unto the gates of heaven.
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