Daily Urdu media briefing - Wednesday 5 January 2011

HEADLINES
Geo Jang Ausaf BBC Urdu
Taseer's bode in Governor Punjab Governor Salman Shahbaz Sharif: Taseer's Preparations for Taseer's
House, funeral to take place Taseer killed by official murder deplorable funeral
at 1 PM guard

Police takes Qadri's personal PML-N's national agenda: Hillary Clinton: Taseer's Taseer's murder condemned
belongings into custody Stop corruption, remove murder great damage to
fraudsters Pakistan

World powers criticise Chaudhry Shaujaat: Let Zardari takes notice of Bodyguards' vetting ordered
Taseer's murder; Hussain PML-N move motion of no Taseer's murder
Haqqani: conspiracy to confidence, then will decide
provoke Pakistanis behind on our support
murder

Cold weather continues in Rehman Malik: Will Islamabad High Court starts Three day mourning, joint
Pakistan, Peshawar airport investigate if murderer on functioning formally investigation team formed
closed until 3 PM his own

INTERNATIONAL
Taseer murder Countries throughout the world including the UK and the US have strongly condemned the killing of
Taseer and called it a major event. Hillary Clinton said Taseer worked for the cause of religious
tolerance. Ban Ki-moon said the murder was a major damage for Pakistan. William Hague
expressed shock, while Pakistani High Commissioner to London Wajid Shamsul Hasan told News
Hour that the event makes the division between different religious groups even more clear. (BBC
Urdu)
European Union's Foreign Affairs representative calls on Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the
assassination to justice immediately. (Geo)
Christians attacks Stefan Muller, a leader of the ruling party in Germany, calls for cutting aid to countries where
prosecution of Christians takes place. He was speaking in the context of the recent attacks in
Egypt. (Jang)
Following the attack on Christians in Egypt and the Al-Qaeda threat to attack three out of seven
large churches in Holland, Holland's Federation of Muslim Organisations and the Council of
Moroccan Mosques in the Netherlands jointly announce their support for the Coptic Christians.
Organisations' spokesman said every Dutch Muslim would stand shoulder to shoulder with their
Christian brothers in this difficult time and that Muslim youths would be deployed to guard
churches. (Jang)

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 PAKISTAN
Taseer murder Another four Elite Force functionaries are arrested raising the number of bodyguards in custody to
15. Eight relatives of Qadri are also held by the police. (Geo)
Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan spokesman Tariq Azam claims the responsibility for the killing of Taseer
in a telephone conversation with Post correspondent. Azam says Taseer died for his remarks on
Aasia Masih and that anyone indulging in anti-Muslim remarks would meet the same destiny.
(Frontier Post)
Malik Mumtaz Qadri reveals during the investigation that a number of Elite Force officials were
aware of his plan to kill Taseer. His name was not on the roster and two officials have been
arrested for entering the name in the schedule. Qadri reportedly entered a deal with the superiors
that he would be arrested alive. It is too early to make a final judgement on it, but whether it was
a conspiracy or complete lack of training that stopped the remaining bodyguards of Taseer's from
reacting appropriately – only God can help Pakistan. (Geo)
Former RPO Rawalpindi Nasir Khan Durrani in an official memo warned that Malik Mumtaz Qadri
and other four security men should not be posted in VIP security detail, but no attention was given
on the warning while posting the man in security detail of Taseer. (ARY)
Taseer funeral Preparations for the funeral have been finalised and prominent personalities are on their way to
Lahore to participate in his funeral. The body has reached the Governor House and the funeral will
take place at 1 PM. The body will be taken to the Cavalry Ground in a helicopter. Security is
extremely tight. Badshahi Masjid Imam who was initially to lead the funeral prayers has been
unable to participate due to “personal commitments” (Geo, ARY). Maulana Afzal Chishti to lead
funeral prayers. (ARY)
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah are stopped
from entering the cemetery where Taseer's funeral is taking place after they fail to obtain security
clearance. Some low level local PML-N leaders are allowed to participate. Interior Minister Rehman
Malik arrives at Punjab Governor House, is surrounded by PPP activists who raise slogans against
the PML-N and the Punjab govt; demand exposing the conspiracy behind the assassination. (ARY)
Taseer reactions Maulna Fazlur Rehman: We condemn the thinking that political issues should be solved by the
gun. Even Rehman Malik admitted today that the murder was a reaction to Taseer's statements on
the Prophethood Law, so even in the govt circles thee is the understanding of what caused the
events. We have to consider both the action and the reaction and extremist tendencies growing in
our society on both sides of the dispute. Calling for the release Asia Bibi was certainly beyond
moderation. (Geo, Capital Talk)
Hamid Mir: Salman Taseer's father MD Taseer was a part of the Tahaffuz-e Namoos-e Risalat
movement, in which Allama Iqbal participated and when Jinnah was the lawyer of Ghazi Ilmuddin.
(Geo, Capital Talk)
Zahid Hussain, author, The Scorpion's Tail: It is possible that the murderer might have been
connected to some organisation, but the main issue we see here is that a certain type of mentality
is being prepared in the country which pushes peoples to such actions. A certain atmosphere, a
certain mindset is being deliberately created in Pakistan. Elements who for the past two decades
have not been able to win elections have been using religion for their goals. The perpetrators of
this assassination have to be brought to justice or it will be no longer possible to live in this
country. So far I have not seen a single religious party unequivocally condemning the murder. The
West has to understand that its policies have also contributed to the rise in militancy. (Geo)

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 Usman Manzoor: It is apparent from Taseer's latest tweets that he was ready to die to for the
cause. In interviews he refused to yield to the rights wing pressure and expresses disrespect
towards them . From his political and internet activities it was apparent he was an open minded
person. (Jang)
Religious leaders say the killing of Taseer confirms the need for the Honour of the Prophethood law.
Abul Khair Zubair, Fazlur Rehman and Fareed Paracha say no Muslim can be sorry for the death.
Jamiat Ahl-e Sunnat says nobody should pray or try to lead the funeral prayers. Majlis-e Ahrar:
Taseer hurt the feelings of the Umma. (Ummat)
President Zardari had already decided to replace the Punjab governor in order to placate the
religious parties; the only thing left was to decide the name of the new governor. Taseer's death
will contribute to political tension. (Ummat)
Govt crisis PML-N on Tuesday gave the government a three-day ultimatum (starting after the three-day
mourning for the martyrdom of the Punjab governor) to accept a twelve point ‘charter of demand’
if it wanted to avert its possible collapse after the loss of its ruling majority in parliament. (Daily
Times)
Jang: We should refrain from using undemocratic methods in order to bring about political change.
The govt has the right to get in touch with parties, but there should be no place for horse trading.
Nazir Naji: Neither of the former coalition members seems to be keen on coming back, but it is also
difficult to predic how MQM would vote in case of vote of no confidence. It has applied for a place
in the opposition benches, but Altaf Hussain also said his aim is not to remove he PM. India
provides an example where parties can sit in opposition benches and simultaneously support the
government. But that's India. In normal democracies if the govt lacks even one vote to a majority,
the PM resigns immediately. Meanwhile, in Pakistan everyone in the country knows the govt has no
votes, but nobody mentions the word “resignation”. (Jang)

INDIA RELATED
India rights Elena Sen, the wife of the the jailed prominent human rights activist Binayak Sen says her familiy
does not feel safe in India following the sentencing of her husband and she has no other choice but
to seek asylum from the embassy of “some free democratic country”. (BBC Urdu)
LoC firing Indian forces open unprovoked firing in the Pandu sector of the Line of Control. A decisive response
of the Pakistani forces silences them down. (Jang)
Mumbai trial Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee says that Pakistan has failed to take action against the
conspirators responsible for the Mumbai attacks; instead of acting with slackness Pakistan should
announce a specific time frame within which it will take action against the anti-Indian terrorists.
(Jang)
Kashmir Mirwaiz Umar Faroq calls on the UN to close its offices in the Valley if it is unable to solve the
conflict. Meanwhile, Kashmiris in Pakistani celebrate Self-Determination Day. (Geo)

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