There is cause to celebrate an Anti-Terrorist Court’s handing out a sentence to terrorists that harassed and beat peaceful participants of a vigil at Liberty Chowk. This is probably the first instance of its kind and setting a precedent. A liberal voice was silenced on January 4, 2011, a man who expressed his disgust at the hypocritical fundamentalists hovering under the umbrella of religion. He was assassinated for opposing the abuse of the blasphemy law. The name was Salmaan Taseer, Governor of Punjab. On January 4, 2015 a candlelit vigil was heldd at Liberty Chowk to commemorate his death anniversary. A dozen baton-wielding men unexpectedly assaulted these peaceful demonstrators. Five extremists were arrested. They are also reported to have raised slogans in favoor of Mumtaz Qadri, the security detail guard who killed in cold blood Governor Taseer on the streets of Islamabad. The Anti-Terrorist Court on July 27 imposed collective imprisonment of sixteen and a half years on the accused five. Two other accused were acquitted. The judge said that this incident was another glaring example of the timid and ignorant thinking of extremists that had poisoned and spoiled the minds of the youth. The court also imposed a Rs 20,000 fine on the accused and in case they are unable to pay it, they would have to undergo an additional six months imprisonment. The trial of the prime accused, Mumtaz Sindhi, is still continuing. The sentences imposeded five years imprisonment under Section seven of the Anti-Terrorism Act, three and a half years under Section 365 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), two years under Section 149 of PPC, three years under Section 153-A of the PPC and three years under Section 148 of the PPC. Though it is reported that the verdict was perhaps only achieved through consistent pursuit of the case by the petitioner, civil society activist Abdullah Malik, it is a victory for justice, fair play and the right of citizens to peacefully protest. Liberals, democrats and progressive people have reclaimed the public space the extremists wished to deny them. The verdict by the Anti-Terrorist Court is a triumph of good sense. *