Attack on brother of Sardar Mushtaq Gill is condemnable

Press Release

04-04-2015

Zar Ali Khan Afridi, a known Human Rights Defender and Chairman tribal NGOs Consortium strongly condemned firing on the brother of Sardar Mushtaq Gill a famous Human Rights Defender on the basis of his human rights activities, in Lahore, capital of the Punjab in Pakistan. In Pakistan religious minorities and human rights defenders are facing the wrath of 295-C. Many innocent people are languishing behind bars in various jails of the country on allegations of being blasphemers. Last year a reputed lawyer and Human Rights Defender Mr. Rashid Rehman of Multan was shot dead by terrorists whose fault was that he was fighting a case of a lecturer in one of Multan Universities where he was alleged to have committed blasphemy in his face book account by his rival fellow lecturers and teachers of the university. Salman Taseer then governor of the Punjab was also assassinated by his own police guard on the basis he defended an innocent Christian lady who was alleged to have committed blasphemy. Similarly in Qasur, Punjab a couple was set on fire in a brick kiln. Pakistan is an unsafe country for religious minorities and human rights defenders. Terrorists and their apologists have two types of weapons to use against an HRD and religious minorities. Gun, suicide bomber and 295-C are the weapons usually are used against Human Rights Defenders and religious minorities. State is so indifferent to issues of citizens’ protection that it never bothers to protect them. No one can say anything to supporters and apologists of the terrorists. Even parliamentarians have no courage to pray for their colleague and a governor is unable to find any lawyer to defend him. On other side a killer is surrounded by hundred of thousand of lawyers and he is offered with legal service. What a state we are living in?

I, once again demand of government of Punjab to provide security to Mushtaq Gill and his family and arrest culprits.

Regards

Zar Ali khan Afridi

Human Rights Defenders

Chairman

Tribal NGOs Consortium

FATA-Pakistan

tncfata@gmail.com