On January 4, 2011, Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer was assassinated in Islamabad, Pakistan by his own security guard Mumtaz Qadri, who disagreed with Taseer’s opposition to Pakistan’s blasphemy law. Eight hours before his assassination, he tweeted an Urdu couplet by Shakeel Badayuni:
“My resolve is so strong that I do not fear the flames from without, I fear only the radiance of the flowers, that it might burn my garden down.”
“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 significant?”
“Peace prosperity & happiness for new year ( 1 1 11 ) i’m full of optimism”
“I was under huge pressure sure 2 cow down before rightest pressure on blasphemy.Refused. Even if I’m the last man standing”
“My observation on minorities: A man/nation is judged by how they support those weaker than them not how they lean on those stronger”
“Maulvis have given a fatwa against me!! It gets better and better”
“There’s a demonstration of about 150 maulvis outside Governors House calling 4 my head! Quite pathetic”
“You can detain persons but u cannot arrest ideas which is why prisoners of conscience are always free”
“The sentencing of Asia Bibi 4 blasphemy by a magistrate is more damaging 2 Pakistans image than the attack on CID HQ in Karachi”
“The Punjab govt has ordered the Ruet e Hilal Committeeto sight the Governor and report his whereabouts”
Ruet e Hilal Committee (the committee who sees moon before Islamic holiday)
“They issued fatwas against Benazir [Bhutto] and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto [her father, an executed former president], and even the founder of the nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. I do not care about them,”
“Today is the birthday pf the great Qaid e Azam we need 2 pledge 2 uphold his liberal progressive humane vision of Pakistan”
“Trader bazaari mullah axis pressure from the street supporting blasphemy law. Same crowd that agitated against PPP in 1977 & welcomed Gen Zia”
General Zia was Islamic fundamentalist. who tried to establish Islamo-fascist laws after taking over.
“I’m ok wth my effigy being burnt and Fatwas against me but i’m really angry that I’m not mentioned anywhere in Wikileaks!”
“Now Maulana Fazal ur Rahman wants me out because of my views! Phir hamee qatl ho ayen yaaro chalo”
Phir hamee qatl ho ayen yaaro chalo( let us go and get killed instead friends). Literal translation of poetry.
“My advice 2 mullahs who r telling little madrassah boys that they have a ticket 2 heaven: Grab it urself or give it 2 ur son”
“Tomorrow mullahs r demonstrating against me after Juma. Thousands of beards screaming 4 my head.What a great feeling!”
“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”
“It took Maulana 4 weeks 2 realize I oppose blasphemy laws. Perhaps Swati being sacked 4 corruption was the wake up call ?”
Shiraz Hassan is a magazine reporter and feature writer for Sunday Magazine in Lahore, Pakistan, where he covers social issues, art and culture. At the magazine, he has published more than 400 features related to social problems, culture and ‘show biz.’ Shiraz has also worked as a news editor at the radio network “MAST FM 103” in Lahore.
He writes about culture and heritage of South Asia, particularly Pakistan. He advocates rich culture of this land and tries to explore facts. Recently he was given an award from the Federal Ministry of Population Welfare for his article on population crises. Writers Guild also awarded him a Medal of excellence for his work.
