Zardari’s Defense of Taseer Comes at Crucial Moment for Pakistan

Lisa Curtis / January 10, 2011

The international community has been shocked and sickened by reaction in Pakistan to the assassination of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer. Support for the Governor’s murderer was found not only within the religious parties but also from lawyers, parts of the media, and even some politicians from the mainstream political parties. This has been a wake-up call for U.S. policymakers, who now see that support for extremist ideologies is much broader and deeper in Pakistani society than previously understood.

In the midst of the horrific demonization of the late Taseer, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari rightly defended him last week as a man with “courage to stand up to bigots and fanatics.” Zardari’s statement provides a glimmer of hope that there are still sane voices inside Pakistan who understand that basic principles of freedom of expression and respect for minorities form the building blocks of civilized society. (more…)