The Slain Governor Punjab Salman Taseer`s Son Abducted in Lahore
Shahbaz Taseer son of the slain Governor Punjab Salman Taseer was kidnapped by armed men in Lahore. According to the eye
witnesses Shahbaz Taseer was going towards his company office "World Call" located at 103C2 Gulberg Lahore, at around
10:54 am just a few meters away from the office a motorcycle intercepted Taseer`s Mercedes Benz SLK 200, bearing the
license plate LZT 1. He stopped, more than 4 armed men came out of a black Toyota Land Cruiser and kidnapped him on gun
point.
The abductors threw away Shahbaz Taseer`s iPhone, 2 cell phones and the laptop and drove towards DHA ( Defence Housing
Authority) through the Calgary Bridge. According to the close family sources the Taseer family has been receiving
threats from the Taliban and other extremist groups since the assassination of Salman Taseer. Salman Taseer a business
tycoon had widely spoken against the Blasphemy laws, condemned them and called it the "Black law". Salman Taseer
publicly supported Asia Bibi the Christian sentenced to death on the blasphemy law and appealed for Pardon to the
President of Pakistan. In an interview to an international news channel in November 2010, Salman Taseer said, "If the
High Court does not suspend her sentence we will pardon her. The blasphemy law is not a God-made law. It’s a man-made
law. It was made by General Ziaul Haq and the portion about giving a death sentence was put in by Nawaz Sharif. So it’s
a law which gives an excuse to extremists and reactionaries to target weak people and minorities.” On 4th January 2011
Salman Taseer was assassinated by his own security guard in Kohsar Market in Islamabad, who claimed that Taseer was a
"Blasphemer". The cleric Muhammad Afzal Chisti who led the funeral prayer for Salman Taseer for forced to leave the
country for receiving life threats for calling Taseer a "martyr" and leading his funeral prayer. Early this year Shahbaz
Bhatti was also assassinated in broad day light for suggesting amendments in the Blasphemy laws.
The Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has taken the notice and has instructed the law enforcing agencies to ensure the
safe return of Shahbaz Taseer, he also talked to Sherbano Taseer on the phone. The Chief minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif
has instructed the IG ( Inspector General) Punjab to take immediate action. IG Punjab said, " We have deployed security
at the Taseers residence, all the entry and exit points in Lahore. The Investigation teams are collecting evidences from
the crime scene. The security personals are also being investigated. The motive of the abduction is unclear, as the
abductors left the vehicle, iPhone, laptop and the other belongings. If they had intended to kill, they had a clear
chance. So far no one has claimed the responsibility. We are also investigating Mumtaz Qadri, Salman Taseer`s assassin,
we are investigating all the aspects in the matter."
Shahbaz Taseer`s mother Amina Taseer is in no position to comment, earlier this year she lost her husband and now her
son has been abducted. According to the analysts, this may be an attempt to rescue Mumtaz Qadri in exchange for Shahbaz
Taseer, as the abductors didnt take anything from the vehicle. If it was a matter of religious extremism they would have
killed him on the spot, the family has refused to comment about any specific business rival, so the only option left is
the rescue for Mumtaz Qadri as the court is delaying the trail.
Earlier on August 13, armed men had abducted an American aid expert Warren Weinstein from his residence in Model Town
Lahore, police is still investigating the matter. Lawlessness situation prevails in Karachi and Lahore and the police is
unable to control the situation.
The social sector has condemned Shahbaz Taseer`s abduction. The Humanitarian organizations had highlighted the threats
to the Taseer Family after Salman Taseer`s murder. A statement by Life for All Pakistan said, " Salman Taseer showed his
solidarity with minority communities who are being targeted by the law and, in doing so, he sent across a strong
message. The murders of Taseer and Bhatti and the extremism and intolerance that such acts displayed were not isolated
incidents, extremism is now part of mainstream Pakistan. Every Pakistani should be devastated when an individual gets
kidnapped. Every Pakistani should be devastated when a human being gets killed for his personal opinion in this country.
We are praying for the family and hope that Shahbaz Taseer returns home unharmed."
ends