this is so sad and yet no one does anything only offer "peace talks" with killers.

Another sane voice silenced, another human with humanity gone. The moderates are a dying breed in Pakistan.

In Pakistan only religious fanatics have rights. Others can either move out of the country or be prepared to die.

Rashid was doing something that requires lot of courage and guts. I appreciate his services and condemn the government for not providing him required security. This incident will discourage other lawyers to take his place which means the justice system will be compromised. Why only Nawaz Sharif deserves the best security while other professionals who are doing the real work out on the street, not? Despite his plea for help, government ignored the threats, proves they are not interested in protecting minorities and the ones extend a helping hand to the minorities.

CRY and SHOUT! CRY and SHOUT LOUDLY! They are killing the conscience of Pakistan. They are silencing the very few voices of morality and ethics in our country. Even if it is very late, we should fight to retain a bit of humanity, a bit of ethics in the society.

Religion is never misused like the way it is done in this part of the world. If people have conscience they will come out and protest but we never have seen that happening.

so sad. No country for righteous people!

I have a message for the killers, who claim to be devout Muslims. " Allah commands you to trust to whom it is due. When you have to judge between people, judge with justice. " Al- Quran. The attorney was getting a justice to the accused in the court. He was not siding or taking issues in his favor. Let the courts of law decide and not the misguided fanatics.

Its a shame that state is a silent party to all this butchery by virtue of its ineffective judicial system and crippling law and order situation.

After Salman Taseer and others, now another life is slain in the name of religion. How many more will suffer? Haven

Pakistan will be a place for religious fanatics only. Agony for the rest as nothing is causing them to stand up and do something.

Very sad incident. But I typed the same numerous times in Dawn's articles. This is not going to stop until you solve the root cause. You can't cure cancer by putting band-aid.

The reason no one does anything is because, the unelected people got in by vote rigging. That is why Imrans call for reform of voting system is for the good of all country. If that changes the governance will change and murderers will know they will hang. Now , under PML-N its a free for all.

It is not an act of human being.

This is such shocking news! I pray the culprits are caught and brought to justice, but at the same time my condolences go out to all his family and friends, such a tragic loss.

A big loss to Humanity. Religious parties should condemned this act ASAP.

very sad day for Pakistan....judiciary is at fault by releasing terrorist ..

The whole country is moving towards disaster. There is a total collapse of law and order purely, economy and development, brought on my the PPP and the PLM-N - with there corruptions and looting the country. We simply do not have a government that works for the benefit of the people.

This is very sad inccident we condem this killing government would stop this arrest his killers & be hanged .

PMl-N government is more ineffective and incompetent than the previous PPP government. People who voted for PMN-L actually voted against Pakistan and there is no doubt if they continue in this manner for next five years Pakistani society will be completely defaced.

Governor of Punjab should resign!

Talibanistan. Thanks to General Zia ul Haq and his ilk.

Bring back death penalty for target killers, there is no other alternative. In Pakistan there is no place for voice of conscience. advocate Rashid Rehman paid the price with his life.

How many more innocent Pakistanis have to die before Gov. of Pakistan and Army realize this ?

So sad, I feel like crying. Why didn't the government provide security to the advocate? If the government was so incompetent, at least it could have sought assistance of some other nation that could have given him asylum? Will the government apprehend and punish the perpetrators of this reprehensible attack?

For amazing people like this advocate, we need to provide them with extra security. To see them become targets will deter others from following the right path. We need more people like Rashid Rehman Khan, if we want to keep the hope alive for Pakistan.

Why surprised? People of Pakistan don't believe in institutions, government and it's law. And like every Muslim there number priority is religion . So people do justice according to Islam by themself. They only way we can stop these thing by believing in institute and systems and change our priority. And of course which will never happen

@Junaid Totally agreed Junaid.. it takes guts to do the type of work that Rashid Khan was doing. God bless his soul.

Sad demise of the Law

I will include Sharif Brothers in killings of such people if none of these two or any family member will go to his place for condolence and support of his cause and killers will not be arrested and punished in a short period of time.

They are charged by many people in supporting these terrorists so its their duty to remove such suspicion. People should take these events as judging rule for recognizing true leaders and good people.

Sadly our land of pure has become the land of illiterates and the land of the fanatics. Blasphemy laws are one sided and as a Muslim I am ashamed for what has become of Islam. We don't respect any religion except our own (brand of Islam). We disrespect every other religion and sect but become very sensitive when anyone says anything about Islam. Why are we so defensive?

@Seedoo Individuals like Rehman Khan are more than mere "moderates". They are brave and principled individuals who are the real defenders of Pakistan. It is because of them that Pakistan will never fall to these cowards and jahils who wear the mask of "Islam" and commit murder.

@Zak Imran is no different. If you dont agree with me, wait and see

@Rizwan Ali Why bring religious parties, Comrade? Don't you realize it is indeed the religiousness that has brought this situation? Seriously who won and who lost in this mayhem? Common man, my dear friend. Life has no value in Pakistan. Anyone can kill anyone else it has become that cheap. There is no value of humanity. We are not using our brain to think; or put it to the all intended purpose.

Fifty or sixty thousand dead and NOBODY has been apprehended in Pakistan? I think what these savage murderers do not realise is, that they are not protecting Islam but defaming it all over the world.

rest in peace Rashib sahib; this gives more reason to continue to speak against extremism and hyper religiosity giving rise to this sick nation!

And they call themselves Religious!!. Shame on the Govt.

Now I want to know more about Junaid Hafiz- the Bahauddin Zakaria Uni lecturer.

@Fiz . Or they need to stand for justice and fight it

@Ravi Dallas TX . It's easy to write but list out the root causes and see if the Govt and majority of the people have the will to fight it

@Seedoo So rightly said

@mba They are killing the conscience of Pakistan. They are silencing the very few voices of morality and ethics in our country

My hear cries

My heart cries

@Rizwan Ali what difference that makes?

@Fiz

Can't agree more. Moderates should move out of Pakistan.

I had the belief that whole of Pakistan would be happy for Rashid Rehman's killing as he was defending the case of Junaid Hafeez. But reading the comments below changed my perception of a general Pakistani and I am impressed that they are NOT fanatic over Islam.

This is very shameful for the entire nation. What a loss! what a tragedy! Sincerest condolences for family and friends RIP

What is holding Nawaz Sharif Govt from reviewing blasphemy law which is mainly used to settle personal scores. At the same time all those found misusing this law should be strictly punished. Needless to say those who committed this gruesome murder should be brought to book as soon as possible.

Rashid Rehman Khan a human rights advocate defending Junaid Hafeez a lecturer at Bahaudin Zakaria University accused of blasphemy are both Muslims and Educated Professionals. The advocate has been deprived of his life, whilst the lecturer is awaiting to meet the same fate in a country called Land of Pure.

Just imagine an educationist as a lecturer at university, building character of generation of time is accused of blasphemy and is being tried in a court of law. Whereas, the advocate just representing the accused of blasphemy has been brutally killed by fanatic/s; though he was not an accused of blasphemy. Is it not killing of an innocent human being which according to Islam is killing of entire humanity!

Is there any good news left in Pakistan?

@Tamilslevan Isn't it obvious what the root cause and solution be ?

Horrible indeed. when you will not give the quality education and will have no check on what is being propogated on the name of Islam this will keep happening.

@Tamilslevan There is no solution other than going for full fledged military action and wipe terrorism out. Small operations here and there once in a blue moon won't help ,it will only make them come back stronger.

@Tahir Dont thank Zia. Look in the mirror and thank the man who stood by, and did nothing!

Any remaining humanity is also being eliminated and the masses are silent

@Fiz Well-thought observation. This is simply a reign of terror and state sponsored criminal trespass. I feel pity for this unfortunate human right lawyer who earlier sought personal security from the state; but purposefully it's been rejected. Because, the present ruling N Sharif regime are the resultants of religious opportunists. They voted him and his party named 'Muslim League' with a hope and aspiration to create a second Saudi Arabia, where freedom of speech or freedom of movement is punished with iron hands. The same thing is happened here in Pakistan with pseudo hands(ruling class+ religious fundamentalists).

very sad to know,in our society is the gun only solution for all this mess

Any one who can afford to leave this country may leave today or just now for their security and family.

Reminds me of Parveen Shakir :

aay mery gul zameen, tujhay chah thee ek kitab ke ahle kitab nein magar, kiya tera hal kar diya

Alas! another TRAGIC MURDER of a moderate educated person who was working for human rights. Government and Civil Society MUST stand with the moderators who raise their voice for the human rights. Extremism must be stopped in Pakistan at all costs if country needs to develop.

Millions have been killed in the name of race and religion and a few who died fighting for their rights. Sir, you were the gallant soldier of humanity. Rest in peace great warrior.

lose a friend, lose a world

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born. ? Ana

"It is what it does." < Dedicated to the religion of peace.

The so called MMA are cultivating fear and hypocracy in society eliminating real humans and stright forward voices from society resulting third class leadership in country then asking question on leadership for not making brave decisions ?

@Ravi Dallas TX Due to incomplete and unfair partition of India, thanks to Mountbatten, Hindus and Muslims have become intolerant, extremists and violent. Human life for them is of no value. Muslims are ready to kill those who blaspheme and Hindus are ready to kill Muslims and untouchables just because they not Hindus. Neither Hindu religion is for killing Muslims or untouchables nor Islam is for killing those who blaspheme.

Everybody has a right to be defended. Killing of the advocate Rashid Rehman is a shocking crime. Killers of defendants should be caught and given maximum punishment under the law.

Pakistan has been moving backward for the last 30 plus years when it comes to tolerance.Minorities have been killed,their homes burned and forced to convert in the name of religion.what kind of GOD would want someone forced to believe in him or if someone is defending someone in the court of law to kill him? The biggest right GOD has given humans is to believe in him or not!.so who is anyone to tell anyone to believe in him. The prophet Mohammad(peace be upon him!) in his life was called all sort of name,bloodied by stone without any retaliation whatsoever!. These killers killed this person for defending someone in a court of law and now they themselves would be looking for someone to defend them.how ironic!. these kind of religious bigots are harming the religion more then an enemy ever could!.

This is a perfect example of nature's balance. Charles Darwin has established a theory which says,nature is knowing how to balance it, so if numbers of human is increased & earth is unable to manage, we will face disaster like earth quack, health epidermic or fight among each other & lots of people will be killed.

@Tasneem What makes you arrive on the conclusion that TTP is behind his killings? I am an staunch opponent of TTP and their agenda but I want to know how on earth you have found an evidence that TTP is behind the attacks?

@Junaid As it is advocates are afraid to take up the brief of Blasphemy accused. The moderates among the populace should stand up and assert themselves else the fanatics will hold sway on each and every institution in Pakistan.

I think this blasphemy law has gone too far in Pakistan. It seems that people use this law for their own personnel disputes and in reality has nothing to do with Islam. Is there actually any credible evidence of blasphemy here? Or is it just a case ignorant people with no education about Islam just blindly following each other like sheep and being reactive to every little thing.

Federal and Provincial governments have failed to provide security to its people they are simply playing in the hand of terrorists just trying to apeace them infact PML (N) has become the political face of terrorists / extremists

@M S Sheikh

You've a serious misunderstanding of Hinduism and Hindus. Had Hindus killed Muslims out of religious fanaticism, Muslims in India would be extinct by now. Compared to Muslims, the best thing about Hindus is they didn't cling to the age old traditions, but changed their attitudes with the change in time. Today, once prevalent social evils such as untouchability, Child marriages, Sati are not seen in India. Fundamentalism in Islam has no comparison and competition.

Shame on the country and shame on the leaders who can let such horrible crimes go unpunished.

"Pakistan has strict laws against defaming Islam, including the death penalty for blasphemy, and rights campaigners say they are often used to settle personal disputes."

This is the law that makes Pakistan a lawless banana republic.

Mullaha Military Itahed Zindabad. That is only way to live in Pakistan. Many congratulation to Zia, JI and Nawaz Sharif for bringing us to this stage, where we just believe in killing. There are 60 Muslim Countries in the world, no one has such type blasphemy laws and amazingly no body is committing blasphemy. Why this happening only in Pakistan. Please stop defaming my holy prophet.

Mr.Rehman (RIP) we salute your courage and compassion. You are another victim.

@M S Sheikh You have brought in partition, Mountbatten, India & Hindus, to shift the blame for the mess in Pakistan! Yes, Hindu fanaticism survives primarily as a reaction to Islamic fanaticism but India is far more tolerant & secular when compared to Pakistan.Since Partition, the percentage of Hindus in Pakistan dropped from 30% to 2% whereas In India % of Muslims has gone up from 9 to 14%.

A whole generation of brain washed fanatics has been raised in Pakistan. The country is paying a heavy price and will continue to do so. This genie is not going back in the bottle any time soon.