Asif Ali Zardari denounces assassination of Advocate Rashid Rehman as despicable act of barbarism and fanatcism

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Co-Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party former President Asif Ali Zardari has denounced the assassination of human rights activist Advocate Supreme Court Rashid Rehman in Multan Wednesday as a ‘despicable act of fanaticism and barbarity’ and demanded probe in the light of apprehensions expressed by the martyred Advocate himself prior to his assassination. “What is needed now is a transparent probe, early arrest of the criminals and exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of the crime under the law”, he said in a statement today.

Mr. Asif Ali Zardari paid tributes to the Advocate Rashid Rehman as a martyr who laid down his life in the cause of human rights and in defending those accused of assorted crimes by fanatics and extremists in the name of religion. The former President said that the public statements by the assassinated lawyer of receiving threats of assassination because of his defence of a blasphemy accused should serve as the starting point of any honest and transparent investigations in the gruesome murder.

It may be recalled that last month Advocate Rashid Rehman was reportedly threatened inside a court room in Multan to desist from defending a blasphemy accused or face extermination at the hands of fanatics. Reportedly he even made a verbal complaint about the threats to the Judge but no action seemed to have been taken. The human rights activist had also named his tormentors who had warned him that he will not be able come out alive of the court next time.

The former President said that it is a matter of grave concern that the human rights activist was not only threatened inside a court room but within less than a month the threat was also actually carried out.

Mr. Asif Ali Zardari said it was a matter of abiding shame and pain that people accused of religious crimes were being increasingly denied the right to a fair trial even after especially incorporating it in the 18th Constitutional Amendment.

It is time that all stake holders worked together to ensure that blasphemy law is not misused in the manner it has been so grossly misused ever since the law was amended by Zia’s military dictatorship, he said.

Asif Zardarti also prayed to Allah to give eternal peace to the soul of Rashid Rehman and patience to the members of the bereaved family.