The daughter of the slain governor of Punjab Salmaan Taseer refuses to be cowed by Islamic extremism. "I think I have an important story to tell: my father was assassinated in Pakistan six months ago because of his opposition to the misuse of Pakistan's blasphemy law," 22-year-old Shehrbano Taseer told AFP in New York.
"I'm here to tell my story, to tell what happens and why it happens, to inform the public and maybe prevent new cases in the future," Taseer told AFP in an interview at a Manhattan hotel. Like her father, Taseer uses the social networking site Twitter and public appearances to speak out boldly against the law, and she vows not to back down despite threats to her life from fanatics.
Taseer, who graduated from Smith College in Massachusetts and is now a journalist based in Lahore, told AFP that Pakistan had reached a critical juncture and must choose between extremism or moderation. "We are at a difficult point in our history," she said, condemning "religious extremism" and the "cancer of terrorism."
"Right now it's difficult because as Pakistanis we are very much watching what is happening to our country and we feel very helpless about how to be a part of the solution." Taseer said some progressive-minded politicians like her father were attempting to drive the moderate cause forward but admitted there was a long way to go.
"I don't think there is any solution possible in Pakistan in the short-term," she said. "We don't need any more blame." But the governor's daughter is not out for revenge, nor does she believe conspiracy theories that seek to link the killing to Islamic terror groups.
"We have a confession, we have videos, we have photographs, we have forensic support, autopsy, we have the murder, we have the weapon, witnesses. I mean it should be finished." Taseer's trip to spread awareness about Pakistan's blasphemy law takes her also to London and Washington. Looking ahead, she expressed reluctance to follow her father into politics. "There is a lot of red tape, and it's inefficient and slow to bring change," she said.
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