Human Rights Activist Rashid Rehman Shot Dead in Multan

Unidentified gunmen opened fire at human rights activist Rashid Rehman Khan in his law chamber in Multan on Wednesday May 7, 2014. He had received threats from fellow lawyers for representing a university lecturer in a blasphemy case. Two other lawyers present with Rashid Rehman Khan were injured and rushed to the hospital for medical treatment. One injured is in critical condition.

Police official told news reporters , “Armed gunmen stormed the chamber of Rashid Rehman and started indiscriminate firing on Wednesday evening, injuring Rehman and two of his associates present there.”

Rashid Rehman Khan was also the coordinator for Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). He was defending a lecturer  Junaid Hafeez of Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan who was facing trial under the blasphemous laws.

Due to the sensitive nature of the case,no one agreed to defend Hafeez. Rashid Rehman decided to take on his case. He was threatened in the presence of the judge after hearing in March. HRCP statement said,“During the hearing the lawyers of the complainant told Rehman that he wouldn’t be present at the next hearing as he would not be alive.”

His funeral will be held in Multan on Thursday in the afternoon.

Sher Zaman Qureshi, president of the District Bar Association Multan said that lawyers will be on strike today to protest the killing of Rashid Rehman. Mr. Qureshi said,“We are observing a strike and no lawyer will appear in any court today to mourn and protest the killing of our colleague.” 

“We demand that the killers of Rashid Rehman should be arrested immediately”, added Mr. Qureshi.

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Posted by Nadeem Bajwa on May 9 2014. Filed under Latest News, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.