Governor of Punjab, critic of blasphemy laws, and advocate for blasphemy convict Asia Bibi, Salman Taseer was shot 27 times by his bodyguard. Thousands attended the bodyguard's funeral.
being the governor of Punjab; opposing blasphemy laws
Salman Taseer was the 26th governor of the Pakistani province of Punjab. He was a politician with liberal views, which unfortunately cost him his life in January 2011 when he dared weigh in on the Asia Bibi case. Bibi, a Christian woman on death row for blasphemy, deserved to be pardoned, Salman argued, and furthermore, perhaps blasphemy laws themselves did not make much sense. Articulating these positions was unacceptable to one of his bodyguards, who shot and killed Salman in a fit of anger at a public market.
"No Muslim should attend the funeral or even try to pray for Salman Taseer or even express any kind of regret or sympathy over the incident." - official statement of Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat Pakistan, Islamist political party
In the aftermath of the murder, a large public funeral took place in Lahore, but even this did not come without controversy. Some religious leaders, as well as the leaders of some Islamist political parties and movements, condemned not only Salman himself but also those who mourned his passing, labeling any who do so as blasphemers themselves. Others endorsed the killer’s actions.
Additionally, although government officials condemned the perpetrator for his vigilante extremism, he became a rather popular figure in his own right. Upon appearing for his hearing in court, a crowd of adoring observers rewarded him with rose petals and hugs.
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Pakistan is one of the most repressive countries in the world with regard to freedom of expression, including and especially religious freedom. Blasphemy (i.e. insults) against religion in general can result in imprisonment, while blasphemy against Islam carries the much harsher punishment of death. Both in terms of the aggressiveness with which the Islamic-conservative government prosecutes such cases, as well as the harshness of punishment, Pakistan remains one of the worst places on the planet to speak out against religion or religious fundamentalism.