The parents of brutally murdered 20-year-old Shahzeb Khan filed an application in court pardoning their son's murderers [1], who were sentenced to death in Pakistan in June 2013 [2].
The pardon has created shock and disappointment in the thousands of “Justice for Shahzeb Khan” campaigners who through Facebook and Twitter (#JusticeforShahzebKhan), and offline vigils and protests, have been keeping the pressure on Pakistan's courts to deliver justice for Shahzeb, who also became their symbol of hope against Pakistan's powerful Feudals [3].
Blogger Zara Khalid explains on the Express Tribune blog,”Dear parents of Shahzeb Khan, we fought for your son, you didn’t! [4]“:
Your fight was a fight to bring about justice for your son, Shahzeb Khan, but it was never just that. Justice for Shahzeb was about just ‘justice’ too. It was about the hundreds of thousands of people who took a stand for your son and for justice. The ones who stepped out of their comfortable air-conditioned lives to stand in the sweltering heat and shout till their throats became hoarse.
In December 2012, Shahzeb Khan was shot dead by Siraj Talpur and Shahrukh Jatoi [5]. Both young men belong to two powerful Feudal families in Pakistan. Before the shooting, one of Talpur's employees passed a lewd comment at Shahzeb’s sister and a minor argument between Shahzeb and Talpur ensued. The shocking murder kickstarted a Facebook campaign “Justice for Shahzeb Khan,” which now has 170,000 likes. [6]
Follow #JusticeforShahzebKhan [7] for the latest.