ICC Note:

In 2011, Shahbaz Taseer, the son of the then governor of Punjab Salman Taseer, was kidnapped by unknown gunmen and held for ransom. Yesterday, Taseer was finally released. Many believe Taseer was abducted because of his father’s strong opposition to Islamic extremists in Pakistan, which ultimately led to his assassination. Christians in Pakistan have mixed reactions to the release of Taseer. Some see it as a sign that the country is starting to turn away from the influence of extremist. Others’ views are less positive. 

3/9/2016 Pakistan (Asia News) – The release of Shahbaz Taseer, son of the governor of Punjab killed because he opposed Islamic extremism, “is a positive sign for Pakistan and Islam. From my point of view, the Pakistani government has realized what must be its role. Perhaps this release is a sign of the times, mature enough for a necessary change of course strongly advocated by Pakistan’s civil society,” said Kashif Aslam, national coordinator of the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace, who spoke to AsiaNews.

Gunmen abducted Shahbaz Taseer on 26 August 2011. On 29 February 2016, his father’s murderer, Mumtaz Qadri, was hanged. The latter was one of the governor’s bodyguards.

Salman Taseer was assassinated in early 2011 for his opposition to Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, also known as ‘black laws,’ and for his defense of Asia Bibi, a 45-year-old Christian mother of five, who was sentenced to death for blasphemy and is waiting for her appeal to be heard.

The Punjab governor strongly supported the campaign for Bibi’s release, along with Shahbaz Bhatti, a Catholic and Federal Minorities Minister who was also killed by extremist gunmen.

Counter-terror police recovered Mr. Taseer from a compound north of Quetta, following a tip off. When agents entered the building they found only the hostage.

Some believe that a ransom was paid to the Pakistani Taliban, who are suspected of the kidnapping, or that keeping him had become too dangerous. The young man is now with his family (pictured) in a safe location.

“The road towards Pakistan’s normalization is long,” said Aslam, “but I think that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will be able to follow it. He is a mature politician and can do more for this society’s stability.”

Samson Salamat, a Christian activist who heads Rawadari Tehreek (Movement for Tolerance) is less optimistic. “I think it is early to say that it is a positive development. There are many concrete things to do that have instead been delayed.”

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