Pakistani activist Khurram Zaki paid with death for taking on extremists

Activists in Pakistan have always paid a price for free speech and are still doing so. This was sadly, on view again when Khurram Zaki, activist, media campaigner and the voice for the voiceless people, was gunned down on May 7, 2016 in north Karachi while he was travelling with his friends Khalid Rao and Jazib Qamar.

Four people on a motor bike opened fire on Zaki and fled.

He was a brave man who stood up against religious extremism and injustice. He was believed to have been killed because he championed free speech.

On the killing of Zaki, famous classical dancer and activist Sheema Kermani said: "I think the present period of our history is perhaps the worst that we have seen. There is absolutely no tolerance left and anyone who speaks out against fundamentalism and intolerance is being targeted. Of course, Pakistan's political history is replete with incidents of people disappearing, people being picked up, tortured and killed but it was always clear who the enemy was. However today, we cannot dare to identify the enemy of freedom of expression and freedom of speech in spite of the fact that today we are supposed to be living in a democracy. I think Zaki was seen as a threat by the authorities who wanted to maintain status quo. He was challenging this so-called democratic state and its state machinery, and therefore he was not to be tolerated."

"Zaki was killed because of two reasons: one he was a Shia and second, an outspoken supporter of human rights no matter who the victims were, whether Ahmedis, Christians or Hindus," said Allama Maqsood Ali Domki, secretary general, Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen. "Everyone knows that Zaki openly talked against Lal Mosque (incident) and had criticised the policies of (the armed) forces. Therefore, he was hardly acceptable," he added.

Another veteran journalist Zia Rehman said, "With the Rangers-led targeted operation aimed at cleaning Karachi in its third year, there appears a marked improvement in the law and order situation in the city. The network of Taliban groups, sectarian outfits and criminal gangs have been shattered to a great extent while militant wings of political parties have also weakened. Khurram Zaki's murder was sectarian. He was killed mainly for three reasons: a Shia by sect, an outspoken critic of extremist groups and a heavy presence on the social media criticising the militant groups. Zaki's murder is another blow to human rights activists who have been urging the state to crack down on the militants and their networks. Zaki's killing comes at a time when Pakistan's rights activists feel they are increasingly under attack."

Muqaddas Haider, the SSP of Karachi's central district, said the police have been investigating the murder from all sides, but, at this moment, were unable to say anthing about who was involved in his killing. Haider said that an FIR was filed in which the involvement of extremist groups was mentioned, but added that the case requireed "some months of investigation because a new weapon has been used to open fire on him and we cannot ignore (the involvement of external) elements".

According to a source, Zaki could have been killed over personal matters.

The chief of the Jaffaria Alliance of Balochistan, Allama Maqsood Ali Domki, strongly condemned the murder, saying that it was a great injustice against the people. He pointed out that when Hazara people were attacked in Balochistan by the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi - police said that it happened as a result of a fight between transporters but later proved who was behind the killings.

Domki said that Zaki was was killed because he was a Shia and also because he talked against religious extremism. He demanded a fair investigation into the case.

On the reasons why Zaki could have been killed, Kermani, on the other hand, said: "Of course he was a Shia. It is easy to bundle his killing with other sectarian killings, but I do not believe he was killed because he was a Shia. I believe he was killed because of what he was saying and because of what he stood for. If one hears his last speech, he clearly points towards who he thinks is the enemy and also points towards the authorities not doing enough to eliminate terrorists and religious terrorism in Pakistan."

She expressed her sadness at what was happening in Pakistan today and strongly felt that unless the citizens of Pakistan decided to remove religion from politics, there would not be a future for the country.