People of Pakistan... You've shocked me.

Salman Taseer

Salman Taseer, RIP. I now realize this country truly did not deserve you. At the cost of sounding like a "liberal", I will have to agree with you. You were right when you said the blasphemy laws are abused, and you were right when you said they deserved to be amended. But you know what? You forgot you're that rich party boy every Pakistani loves to bash and have a go at. They're all hypocrites. You know what you were though? A non hypocrite. You know why I'm writing such a favorable post about you? Because I've just come back from a BBC show where I had been called to participate as a guest and where the anchor, his English guests, and all those people around the globe who were listening in and sending emails were completely baffled, and I guess quite alarmed by the way we, the Pakistanis, presented your death.

The Editor of Pakistan Observer said he personally liked that you were killed. He said he had to answer God about his religiosity, and you sir were standing in the middle of it. A guy from Multan called in saying that he and his friends rejoiced at the news of your death, because you were immoral and had a loose character. People emailed in and said your stupidity got you killed. But you know what I find disgusting? You weren't accused of blasphemy, nor did you commit it yet you were murdered for merely suggesting that the abuse that these laws are used for be checked. Sad reflection on our society.

I know today that the world has no problem with Pakistan or Pakistanis. It is us Pakistanis who are diseased. As a human, how can anyone rejoice at the death of a fellow human? And then, how can you show off your elation to the world? It is sick, neigh, it is ghastly. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard "learned" people proclaiming you deserved to die. Did you really?

There were people from the US and other places saying this is the country that we tried to help when the floods came. They said they wouldn't do it again. But you know what's going to happen? These same Pakistani people will cry like whining babies when the US and other nations will refuse to help us in our time of need. These same hypocrites who say that it is "our Islam" and we are happy someone "ridiculing" it died will sob and protest when the US will say go feed yourself. I have realized it us who have isolated the world; not the other way round.

Where is that tolerant society that Islam and Pakistan envisioned? When masqueraders of peace are in fact violence inciting barbarians, it isn't hard to notice that the envisioned vision stands shattered. We needed someone who could call a spade, a spade. We needed someone who could stop hiding behind that curtain of Islam and accept what he was and who he was. Islam has been modified, sliced and changed. It is now a tool, which is used to protect murderers. It is but a shame on all of us.

I don't know what to say anymore, because I'm shocked. More shocked than your death I must say, because it is the attitude of the Pakistani population that has left me scratching my head.