Rashid Rehman - Photo Courtesy of Dawn

 ABDUL RAUF

Rashid Rehman - Photo Courtesy of Express

Rashid Rehman – Photo Courtesy of a Documentary by Beena Sarwar on Mukhtara Maii Case for which Rashid Rehman Gave a Thoughtful Interview

In my city – Multan, in the evening of May 7, 2014, some unidentified killers entered in the office of Rashid Rehman at Kutchehri Chowk, killed him and went away easily. No witness (Was there not a single man?). No actions (Is there no department to do so?). No Resistance (Is evil more powerful than the ‘righteousnss’?). Nothing like that. This is how things happen in Pakistan, everytime when someone does something right. You must have heard that if you are in LA, behave LA, so if you are in a nation where religious intensity is sky-high, you must show that (religious intensity). Otherwise speak up & get shot like Rashid Rehman. Advocate Rashid Rehman was doing something that requires a lot of courage and guts. I appreciate his services and condemn the government for not providing him required security. This incident will discourage other lawyers to take his place which means the justice system will be compromised. Why only Nawaz Sharif deserves the best security while other professionals who are doing the real work out on the street, not? Despite his plea for help, government ignored the threats, proves they are not interested in protecting minorities and the ones extend a helping hand to the minorities.

“Dont even dare to condemn this (brutal) murder, okay?”

Wednesday night, I got the text message from one of my friends which read about the death of Adv. Rashid Rehman, I didn’t shock, because I knew it’s normal to kill someone on the name of ‘blasphemy’ without any proof or proper legal proceedings. After sometimes, I signed in to my Facebook profile and condemned this brutal act. I was shocked when I got the comments in which I was ordered not to condemn because he was involved in ‘Toheen-e-Risalat’. He didn’t involve in any kind of blasphemous act, he was just a lawyer for a person who was also just accused of doing blasphemy. On Facebook, very few people condemned, some of them ordered me not to condemn and many of them just ignored it as nothing ever happened. This was shocking – probably it should not have shocked though.

“Murdered! No Witness! No Actions! No Resistance!”

Rashid Rehman is gunned down and meanwhile, the Chyalyak police have registered the case (306/14) under sections 302, 324 of the PPC and 7ATA against two unidentified people. No arrest could be made so far. The rights activists said that the police had avoided nominating the people indicated by the slain lawyer in his application sent to the Multan CPO. They said that the police should include his application in the FIR. My beloved Pakitanis involve in most of the murders in the name of ‘Ghairat’ meaning ‘honor’, then why do they not take much care of their ‘honor’ when someone is killed because s/he does her/his duty accordingly. I dont know whether Pakistani related officials (and the people) will listen to the voice of United Nations or not, in which one of their officials said, ““We condemn the killing of Rehman and urge the government to ensure a prompt investigation and to bring the perpetrators to justice.“

“Proof of his greatness is the reason for the killers to kill Rashid Rehman”

Rashid Rehman, a human rights activist, lawyer and philanthropist, was a great man, according to many of his close friends and family-members. Proof of his greatness is the reason for the killers to kill Rashid Rehman, which is; to give legal aid to Javaid Hafeez (accused of blasphemy). Blasphemy laws are the only laws in Pakistan that are being implemented more than they should be & sucking thing is that they are implemented more by some ‘unidentified Pakistanis’ than the related department of government.

“Let’s wait for another Rashid Rehman to be killed”

Sana Saleem, a blogger at the Dawn, writes, “I am surprised no one replied to remind him about Meher Bokhari’s hour-long TV show reading out fatwas against a sitting Governor who was later shot over 20 times and killed for seeking pardon for a blasphemy accused mother.” In an email, a few days before his death, Rehman raised concerned over media reports that covered a “one-sided” story. He felt irresponsible reporting was flaming the issue.

“What of Aasia Bibi, Sawaan Masih and Junaid Hafeez?”

Are you crazy enough to think about what Aasia Bibi, Junaid Hafeez & Sawaan are going to face? Are you thinking to do good deed to them? Are you also one Rashid Rehmans to help people out if they have not done something bad? If ‘yes’, be ready to get killed soon. Because people here dont understand the difference between the words ‘criminal’ & ‘the accused’. I even dont know why I’m writing all this up here. Is it that I am stupid crazy young guy or is it because I really want people to re-act positively? Well, I dont know. Rashid Rehman was not a criminal, he was just on professional-defending-side of an ‘accused’ person – also not a criminal, so why the hell was killed for? No-one will answer. And if someone is brave enough, s/he is soon to be shot dead.

Lastoword: I have no words. I condemn this brutal murder of Rashid Rehman. There’re 100s of Rashid Rehmans daily killed for some personal reasons (whether based on religiouns). In the end, I’d like to request, “For God’s sake, dont be God. Being human-being is the best for you. Thanks”

 

Read mor ehere– http://abdolrauf.wordpress.com/2014/05/11/speak-up-get-shot-like-rashid-rehman/