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Guard kills Pakistani governor

Wednesday, 05 January 2011 00:00 Editor News - World

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FOR apparently speaking against the country’s controversial blasphemy laws, the governor of Pakistan’s powerful Punjab Province, Salman Taseer, has been assassinated by one of his guards in Islamabad.

The killing of Taseer was the most high-profile assassination of a political figure in Pakistan since the slaying of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in December 2007, and it rattled a country already dealing with crises ranging from a potential collapse of the government to Islamist militancy.

The suspected killer, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported, was taken into custody, and there were conflicting reports as to whether he was wounded.Taseer was a member of Bhutto’s Pakistan People's Party and a close associate of President Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto’s widower. The governor was vocal on a range of subjects, and frequently used Twitter to get across his views.

In recent days, as the People’s Party has faced the loss of its coalition partners, the 56-year-old Taseer has insisted that the government will survive. But it was his stance against the blasphemy laws that apparently led to his killing.
Interior Minister Rahman Malik told reporters that the suspect in the case had surrendered to police and told them he killed Taseer because “the governor described the blasphemy laws as a black law.”

“He was the most courageous voice after Benazir Bhutto on the rights of women and religious minorities,” said a crying Farahnaz Ispahani, an aide to Zardari and friend of Taseer. “God, we will miss him,” he added.

Pakistan's blasphemy law has come under greater scrutiny in recent days after a Christian woman was sentenced to death for allegedly insulting Islam's Prophet Muhammad.
Under pressure from Islamist parties, the People's Party said recently it would not pursue changes to the law, which has long vexed human rights activists.

Police official Mohammad Iftikhar said Taseer was gunned down after he reached Khosar Market, a shopping center in Islamabad popular with Westerners and wealthy Pakistanis. Five other people were wounded as other security personnel responded to the attack.

Another police official, Hasan Iqbal, said a pair of witnesses told the police that as the governor was leaving his vehicle, a man from his security squad fired two shots at him. Taseer then fell, while other police officials fired on the attacker.
Taseer was believed to be meeting someone for a meal, Malik said. Other members of his security detail were being questioned, Malik said.The security for Taseer was provided by the Punjab government.

“We will see whether it was an individual act or someone had asked him” to do it, Malik said of the attacker.
Bullet casings and blood covered much of the scene at the market, and police quickly cordoned off the area.
Thousands of Pakistanis on Monday mourned Bhutto on the third anniversary of her death and demanded that her killers be brought to justice.

Loyalists from across the country descended on her grave in the southern village of Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, beating their chests and chanting “Bhutto was alive yesterday and Bhutto is alive today.”
Bhutto, the first woman to become prime minister of a Muslim country, was killed on December 27, 2007 in a gun and suicide attack after addressing an election rally in Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad.

Two senior police officers were arrested last week for alleged dereliction of duty over the assassination. Five alleged Pakistani Taliban militants held for nearly three years over the killing have yet to be indicted.
Bhutto's widower President Asif Ali Zardari pledged allegiance to his wife's policies and promised to stamp out Islamist militant groups, which have been blamed for killing more than 4,000 people across Pakistan since July 2007.

Please, people should realise that Dakore is not poor, neither is she from a poor background, so labeling her a gold digger is bad.

If she happens to fall in love with a billionaire son that is her luck. Most posters here would rather want Akande's son to fall in love with <ike Adenuga's daughter. There is nothing wrong in marrying a billionaire son, we should all wish them a good life after. That is what matter's most.

A monstrous mass murder of innocent souls has occurred in Jos again and we are, as always, being insulted with unimaginative, flyblown, and soporific platitudes by our political, media, and clerical elites. Almost every prominent Nigerian who has commented on this heartless, high-tech mass slaughter has mouthed one of three predictably ready-made bromides: oh, this is all about politics, not religion; it’s a failure of security and leadership; and it’s the consequence of poverty.

This is the safe, standard, prepackaged rhetorical frippery that our elites effortlessly regurgitate whenever violent communal convulsions erupt in any part of the country. But this is getting insufferably trite. If the hypocrisy or intellectual laziness that actuates these thoughtless, simplistic sound bites didn’t have far-reaching consequences for our continued existence as a nation and, in fact, our very survival as a people, one would simply yawn in silence and ignore them.

But it so often happens that after these hypocritical, clichéd phrases are uttered, the nation will be anesthetized into a false sense of security and normalcy, the culprits will never be ferreted out much less punished, and everybody will go to sleep—until the next upheaval recrudesces and jolts us all out of our pigheaded complacence.


A scene from the bombings in Jos


And then the predictably mind-numbing, mealy-mouthed banalities will be invoked again by the elites to explain away what happened, and so on and so forth. This rhetorical formula is safe because it absolves people in political and cultural authority from the triple burdens of thinking, confronting uncomfortable truths, and taking action. That’s why politicians are often ironically the first to blame “politicians” for the episodic fits violence that now punctuate our national life. Well, “politician” is a floating signifier that encapsulates everybody in politics, and what refers to everybody refers to nobody. Case closed.

To be sure, political manipulation, inept security and leadership, and poverty are all deeply implicated in the perpetual cycle of violence and recriminations that have become fixtures in our socio-political landscape. But a murderous pervasion of religious doctrines and violent, unthinking ethnic particularism are even greater culprits. People who are brainwashed into believing that those who don’t share their faith deserve to be murdered, or people who are so wedded to their ethnicity that they lack the capacity to tolerate others, are just as dangerous and as culpable—if not more so— as the politicians who “manipulate” them.

Poverty, in and of itself, does not predispose people to violence. There are much poorer countries in Africa than Nigeria that are remarkably peaceful. Take, for an example, Benin Republic, our western neighbor. Or Senegal, an over-90-percent Muslim country that elected a Roman Catholic as its first president. And, of course, security lapses become an issue only in societies that have a predisposition to senseless, unprovoked violence, such as ours.

Now, a group which calls itself Jama’atu Ahlus Sunnah Lid Da’awati Wal Jihad has claimed responsibility for the deadly bombs in Jos. It also claims to have perpetrated its savage murder of innocents, some of whom may in fact be Muslims, on behalf of Muslims and Islam. But the preponderance of reactions to this unsettling revelation among our Muslim leaders and commentators, including security agencies, has been to impulsively dismiss the group’s claim even when they have no contrary evidence—much like Goodluck Jonathan and his minions unthinkingly exculpated the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) of responsibility for the October 1 terrorist attacks even when the group claimed responsibility for the attacks. Same attitude, different personalities. That is the Nigerian story.

One uncomfortable fact that our elites in northern Nigerian have been shy to confront meaningfully and fearlessly is that we do have a worryingly enervating crisis of noxious religious literalism. By religious literalism I mean lazy, literal, and de-contextualized reading of religious texts, which current Central Bank governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi almost singlehandedly fought for several years in newspaper articles when he was an ordinary banker. I’ve heard so much thoroughgoing hate and blatant call to murder by local, often ignored, religious clerics in the name of sermonizing. These are unmentionable sermons that will curdle the blood of any sane person and cause them to wonder if they share the same humanity as these ignorant, homicidal clerics. Boko Haram’s leader’s video justifying and claiming responsibility for the Jos bombings is an eerie echo of these hateful sermons.

But I know these sermons to be atrociously grotesque perversions of Islam’s core teachings because I am the son of a Muslim scholar who knows as much about Islam as any educated Muslim should. My 80-something-year-old dad taught me to read and write in Arabic before I even learned to read in the Roman alphabet. And my dad’s dad was a Christian. So were many of his brothers and sisters. Yet we lived in peace. My dad always took care to remind us, like all broadminded Muslim scholars do or should, that the references to “unbelievers” in the Qur’an are not to Christians or Jews; they are to seventh-century Arabian idolaters who launched unprovoked attacks against the emergent Islamic religion.

Christians and Jews are properly called “ahlul kitaab” (translated as “people of the book”) in the Qur’an. Although the relationship between early Muslims in the 7th century and Christians was not without problems, it was, for the most part, marked by tolerance as evidenced in several Qur’anic verses.

Examples: “Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians -- whoever believes in God and the Last Day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord. And there will be no fear for them, nor shall they grieve" (2:62, 5:69, and many other similar verses); “[A]nd nearest among them in love to the believers will you find those who say, ‘We are Christians,’ because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant” (5:82). In the second verse, you can almost mentally picture Reverend Hassan Matthew Kukah and many (Catholic) priests.

But ignorant, hate-filled, and hidebound religious literalists have stripped adherents of other Abrahamic faiths of their status as “people of the book” and have dressed them in the borrowed robes of “unbelievers.” And they are straining hard to make gullible people believe that all the scriptural verses about retaliatory aggression against “unbelievers” in the Qur’an refer to Christians and Jews.

Unfortunately, these hitherto fringe perverts of the message of the Qur’an are beginning to enjoy a position of dominance in northern Nigeria’s religious discourse, and many sane, thinking people are afraid to contradict them, lest they be tagged as “hypocrites” or “sympathizers of unbelievers” and then murdered by their sympathizers.

I know I speak for millions of silent Nigerian Muslims when I say that these blood-thirsty, homicidal beasts who murdered innocent men, women, and children in the name of Islam don’t represent us. But until enough Muslim leaders and commentators come out to openly denounce these people and the ideology of hate that animates them, they will continue to hijack and appropriate the mainstream, and we will all pay dearly for this--literally and symbolically.

But, first, the perpetrators must be be made to face the consequences of their murders. Unfortunately, Goodluck Jonathan has robbed himself of the moral capital to bring these murderers to justice because he also publicly shielded his own MEND kinsmen from the consequences of their own savage terrorism against Nigeria.

The question is: can we afford to go on like this, especially now that we are entering a really dangerous phase of mutual annihilation through bombs? Certainly, our elites’ habitual, knee-jerk, platitudinous reactions to communal violence will hasten our collective ruination. But we need to always remember that the consequences of a violent break-up won’t be pretty for everybody.

Tolerance, understanding, and the acceptance of our diversity are the only values that can sustain us a nation.

Author can be reached at farooqkperogi@gmail.com. He blogs at www.farooqkperogi..com

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please all car experts: Siena, Kunle-A, Femmy etc. Specifically Honda ATF-Z1 and Dexron II/III for Toyota.

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DR. PRINCELY IFINEDO

Princely Ifinedo, Ph.D
Dept. of Financial & Information Management
Shannon School of Business
Cape Breton University
P. O. Box 5300, Sydney
Nova Scotia, B1P 6L2, Canada

Dr. Princely Ifinedo is an Associate Professor at the Shannon School of Business, Cape Breton University (CBU), Canada. He is currently teaching Management Science and Information Systems courses, including Management Information Systems, Quantitative Methods, and Computer Aplications in Business. Dr. Ifinedo received his education in Africa, Europe, and North America. He has resided in four (4) different countries, and traveled widely in 34 others. This international exposure has had a lasting impression on his view of the world. In fact, the exposure has been the most transforming of all his experiences.

He enjoys teaching as much as he does research. He has presented at various international IS conferences, contributed chapters to 14 books/encyclopedias, and his research papers have appeared in 26 peer-reviewed journals. In brief, he has authored (and co-authored) more than 70 publications in various publishing outlets. He reviews for several international IS journals, including Journal of Electronic Commerce Research & Electronic Markets, and he serves his own university community (CBU) in various capacities.
Professional Affiliations:

AIS - Association for Information Systems
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* Editorial Board of Review: International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology (IJEDICT)
* Reviewer (Ad hoc): Electronic Markets - The International Journal (EM)
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* Reviewer: International Journal of Internet and Enterprise Management (IJIEM)
* Editorial Board of Review: Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge, and Management (IJIKM)
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Teaching Interests:
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Why did the SNG have to visit GEJ. Since Tunde Bakare is anti-government what was he looking for by visiting Jonathan. Even if they were offered bribe of $50k and they rejected it, why make it such a big fuss. Bakare sound like a man working to achieve certain aims for the opposition. Mind you I am not a Jonathan supporters, just that I am disgusted with the way the issue is being promoted.

Sahara reporter is saying SNG was offered bribe, at the same time huhuonline is saying Tunde Bakare denied that they were offered any bribe.

Someone suggested in this thread that schools should have been located in Yenagoa. I completely disagree. Locating it outside the state headquarters, would bring development to the area in which it is located.

It would also help to redress to some extent the bitterness felt by the people of Oloibiri and Ogbia LGA; the area from which crude oil was first drilled in Nigeria. It would give them a sense of belonging and remembrance by the Federal Government.

This is interesting.

Please, it is also nice if anyone can lay his hand on The Slave Ship it is one of the most detailed book/research on the journey of slaves from south eastern nigeria and other parts of west africa to the americas

If you are in Abuja you can get your UareU Digital Persona 4500 @ Bond and Seal Limited, Suite 14C Shopping Complex, Maputo Street, Wuse Zone 3, Oppsite Zenith bank (Just after Military Pension Board). for N26,000 only. We also offer setup support for the device.

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I want to find out from nairalanders the actual function of Over Drive on Auto Transmission Gear System, and when is the best time to use it when driving.

Please, all vehicle Wizs, i need your candid answers

Even even the team is 100% Hausa, Ijaw, Yorub or Igbo, the essential thing is that they are doing well. Please we should start out growing this nasty attitude. Last week athe composition of the Asset Management Company(ATCON) was questioned by some Northern Senators. They insisted that the board of ATCOn has two South Westerners while the North East has none.

The Senate President promptly remoinded them that they should sacrifice excellence on the alter of mediocrity, ethnicity and quota system. Check the history of female football in Nigeria, the Igbos, South West and South South has always dominated.

My vehicle is a Toyota Sienna, 1999 model, The ABS light keep showing on the dash board. I have checked the brake disk and changed the brake pad, yet the indicator still persist.

What do you guys think is the real issue. My mechanics seems not to have any idea.

Please, Nairalanders what may be the cause of ABS light showing continously on the dashboard. I have changed brake pad and checked the brake disk they are all okay.

Always post pictures of engine, interior and VIN No.

we still have good ones

Terry G and his group keeps talking about how much weed and henessey they have taken in every of their track/music.

The natural results is things like this. It is not about whether they are driving late it is about the kind of life they have chosen for themselves.

Thank you for the other time.

Please, help me check this VIN 4T3ZF13C8WU037044

please help me check this VIN 4T3ZF13C8WU037044

Please kindly help me get history for this VIN: 4T3ZF13C8WU037044

Thank you.

Oga Chuddi, How far, The how much willyou sell last?

GOOD DAY,

Will it go for 700k. Serious buyer. Please also post the VIN number.

please help with this VIN 4T3ZF19C81U333343

Thank you

Oga Banix; can we do a deal for this car at N900,000.00. Serious Buyer. My GSM is 08051517887

is the colour white or cream.

Also can it go for 900k. Am serious

The Quest from Cotonou, what would be the features and would the price cover Custom Duties; because of Police/Custom wahala.

Femmy2010, Please cann the ride go for N850K. I am serious, though I stay in Abuja, I can come down to lagos if we reacha deal.

My Cell Nos are 008037881631. Thank you

All over Nigeria the story is the same;

- Local Government touts leap into you vehicle claiming they want to collect tax or levies such as radio License, Mobile Advert if you have a
company sticker or name written on your vehicle etc.

- The Police jump into your vehicle and attempt to collect your key in the name of effecting an arrest.

- The VIO do the same.

- It is no strange to see Policemen chasing a vehicle at high speed.

while I dont support the action of the driver, something may have transpired before the TRACE officer was pushed out of the vehicle. He may have probably asked them to "settle[i][/i]" with a very large sum of money. That is what these men do, any time you are arrested for any traffic offence, they bill you so high that you want to cry. Sometime just for wrong parking or parking in a place not designated for parking (mind you there would probably be no indication/sign that the place is not for parking), they may ask you to pay as much as N18,000.00.

These things would keep happening until the government stop recruiting thugs to work as revenue agents and traffic officer.

Sometimes we are too quick to jump to conclusions. The actions of El-Rufai should be evaluated objectively. The FCT laws stipulates that if lands are left under developed after a particular period of time the FCT minister reserves the right to revoke same. He acted within the law in this case. So if the FEC which is superior to the FCT minister decides to revalidate such plots of land to forestall diplomatic friction, then its okay.

I am not trying to hold brief for Mallam El-Rufai neither do I support all his actions when he was the minister of FCT; the ruth remains that since he left, other Ministers have not done up to a quarter tenth of what he dis as minister of the FCT.

Yakubu miss against South Korea is unpardonable, no defender was on him, the keeper was not close. All he needed was a simple tape in, yet he could not score.

Yakubu was not man marking, neither was he supporting the defense, yet he performed woefully in his primary task of scoring goal.  Sorry for him and for Nigeria.

Any football fan that is reasonable would stop supporting crop of Super Eagles.  After they did to us in the match against Tunisia in Abuja, I concluded that this team was capable of anything.  In that match against Tunisia, the stadium was filled to capacity, no single seating remaining, thousand of people were outside, struggling to come in, the walk ways were filled, fans were cheering and bringing down the roof with their chant.  yet how did reward the fans, were still cheering it is a gooal afyter osaze scored, when they allowed the Tunisians to equalised.

Eneramo would probably have done better.