Original Articles

Salman Taseer: Another victim of the deep state, its ideological and political faces – by Shaista Aazar

Related article: A plan well executed

Governor Punjab Salman Taseer is assassinated by his own guard from the Punjab Police Elite force, Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri. He very proudly confessed it before the security officials, saying that he has killed Governor Salman Taseer as he has publicly declared the Blasphemy Law as “KAALA QANOON” (Black Law).

The high profile assassination of a political figure like Salman Taseer, the involvement of his own guard from the Police department has raised very serious questions regarding this assassination. As the background of everyone from the Police department or any other security force is investigated before appointing him to the security squad of a high profile personality.

The brutal murder of Salman Taseer has exposed the dubious role of Punjab Government and its office bearer, who have sympathies for the extremist sectarian organizations, which has released hundreds active workers of SSP/LeJ and Punjab home department has recently freed a suspect of BB’s assassination plan and a prominent Jihadi Qari Saifullah Akhtar.

When the Govt officials are terrorists sympathizers and facilitators them, when the Judiciary is reluctant to convict them how the “Lashkars Of Khudaai Faujdars” can be stopped from killing people on sectarian differences, prosecuting minority sects and assassinating political figures and outspoken personalities against them.

Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, a tool of the deep state

Laws like Blasphemy are consciously meant to promote the Islamist project that powerful elements of the deep state  continues to desire in Pakistan. The blasphemy law is a ready-made weapon against all secular opposition to the military-mullah alliance, is used once again against a prominent  Secular figure, as the utopia of “the Fort of Islam” is threatened with debates like that, as it demands openness and enlightenment in society which cannot be tolerated in states like Pakistan, which draws its legitimacy from dogmatic religious ideals.

Whenever People’s party comes to power, it encourages Secular narratives, the state TV comes with a shift as today people like Mehdi Hasan, Dr Mubarak Ali, Wajahat Masood and Khalid Chauhdry can be seen in various talk shows. Efforts in this regard have an over all effect. Though it has people like Babar Awan to dent his secular image, but the party still is works as a platform for secular voices.

Secular political forces jeopardize the security state narratives for its soft stance on India and are considered a danger to the Kashmir Jihad and other dearest projects of the deep state. While the religious and Islamist parties provide ideological support and manpower for those beloved causes, hence are natural allies to the deep state.

Hence people like Mumtaz Hussain Qadri are affected and impressed by the  same mindset, the state has sponsored from the very beginning of its creation. Though sometimes it backfires and causing an embarrassment to the it but achieves its goal of preventing the society from questioning and opening up.

In Musharraf era, due to international pressure when it seems the security establishment or a section of it has abandoned their alliance or acted like that, Musharraf came forth as a favorite of depoliticized civil society, Salman Taseer too came closer to Musharraf,  hen acted in the interim cabinet and was also a joint candidate of  PPP and Musharraf for the post of Governorship of Punjab.

Though the provincial PPP leadership and workers have serious concern over him at the Governor House, But he was trusted by the party central leadership, and was undoubtedly the most bluntest voice against the Punjab Govt for its sympathetic tendencies towards religious and jihadi elements.

He did the same in Aasia bibi case and publicly declared blasphemy law as a “Black Law”, the declaration proved fatal and he laid down his life.

A Political Perspective

At a time when the the political turmoil in the country is on a rise, among the news flash of the breaking up of coalitions, political meetings, press conferences, warnings, demands,deadlines and ultimatums, the BREAKING NEWS of the Assassination of Salman Taseer has one another perspective.

In this whole episode, Mian Nawaz Sharif and his party are acting sensibly. The assassination of Salman Taseer, the allegations and pointing fingers to Rana Sanaullah can lead to a clash between the two major political parties, it can force PML-N to move against the Government, resulting in an end to the political setup. Any such adventure will be very disastrous for the political forces.

Dedicated to Salman Taseer

Paa-ba-gil sab hain rihaaii kii kare tadabiir kaun
Dast-bastaa shahar main khole merii zanjiir kaun

Mera sar haazir hai lekin meraa munsif dekh le
Kar rahaa hai mere fard-e-jurm ko tahariir kaun

Merii chaadar to chhinii thii shaam kii tanhaaii ne
Be-ridaaii ko merii phir de gayaa tashahiir kaun

Niind jab khawaabon se pyaarii ho to aise ahad main
Khawaab dekhe kaun aur Khawaabon ko de taabiir kaun

Ret abhii pichhale makaanon kii na waapas aaii thii
Phir lab-e-saahil gharaundaa kar gayaa taamir kaun

Saare rishte hijraton main saath dete hain to phir
Shahar se jaate huay hotaa hai daaman_giir kaun

About the author

Shaista Aazar


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