Sardar Mushtaq Gill
Sardar Mushtaq Gill Testimony
The day I pledged to work to end human rights violations and defend the victims of such violations for peaceful Pakistan was in May 2005. I was at home and heard some noise on the street which was crowded by a charged Muslim mob who wanted to kill a neighbour accused of blasphemy. I intervened and tried to rescue him from the mob. In return I was also beaten but thankfully I was successful in saving the accused professor’s life.
I am being targeted by extremists who want me to end my legal support to victims in blasphemy cases.
Sardar Mustaq Gill is the National Director of Legal Evangelical Association Development (LEAD) which is based in the province of Punjab. LEAD is a non-government organisation that provides legal aid to marginalised people and defends the rights of religious minorities in Pakistan. Sardar Mustaq Gill has been campaigning against the use of blasphemy laws to target minorities.
Pakistan is one of the most challenging countries in the region for human rights defenders, who face high risks including killing, arbitrary arrest and detention, abduction and kidnapping, surveillance, threats and judicial harassment. Many HRDs have had their offices attacked or burnt down and their colleagues killed.
