Pakistani minister who defended Asia Bibi assassinated

Shahbaz Bhatti, the Pakistani minister who defended Asia Bibi, is assassinated
by Jibran Khan
The attack took place this morning in Islamabad. An armed commando gunned down the Catholic minister in his car. Rushed to hospital he did not survive his wounds. Murder claimed by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. 

 

Islamabad (AsiaNews) - The Pakistani minister for minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti was killed this morning by an armed commando. The attack was carried out in the I-8 / 3 neighbourhood by a group of masked men who ambushed the minister on the street. They pulled him out of his car and opened fire at point blank range before fleeing in a car.

The grandson of Shabhaz Bhatti was traveling with him when the attack took place. The terrorists continued to fire for about two minutes. There was no security guard with Bhatti when the attack occurred. The minister was immediately rushed to Shifa hospital, where, however, the doctors failed to save him. The killers left a note at the scene of the crime: "Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claims responsibility for the assassination of Bhatti for speaking out against the blasphemy law". Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan 'is an umbrella organization of various groups of Islamic militants.

Shahbaz Bhatti, a Catholic, was recently confirmed in his post of Minister for Minorities in a government reshuffle. He boldly defended Asia Bibi, a Christian sentenced to death for blasphemy on the basis of false accusations. He belonged to the PPP, the progressive party in government. After the killing of Salman Taseer, Governor of Punjab, who Islamic fundamentalists blamed for having defended Asia Bibi, Bhatti had become the radicals "top target".

This is a concerted campaign to suppress all progressive, liberal and humanitarian voices in Pakistan, "said Farahnaz Ispahani, assistant to President Asif Ali Zardari. "It 's time for the national government and federal governments to speak out and take a firm stand against these murderers to save the very essence of Pakistan".

Robinson Asghar a personal friend of Bhatti, relayed that the murdered minister had received threats after the assassination of the governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer. Asghar said he had advised Bhatti to leave Pakistan for a period because of threats, but Bhatti had refused.

Information Minister, Firdous Ashiq Awan said that Bhatti played a key role in promoting inter-religious harmony, and was a great resource. "We are saddened by his tragic death", he said, adding that the government will investigate why he was without an armed escort.

Shahbaz Bhatti, a Catholic defender of the weak and marginalized 
The minister for minorities came from a Catholic family deeply committed to justice. Of his work he said: "I only want a place at the feet of Jesus. I want my life, my character, my actions to speak for me and say that I am a follower of Jesus Christ." 

Islamabad (AsiaNews) - Shahbaz Bhatti, the Pakistani minister killed by the Taliban, was born September 9, 1968, to a Christian family from the village of Kushpur.His father Jacob, served in the army before entering the field of education as a teacher and later chairman of the board of the Churches of Kushpur. In the Autumn of 2010 he was hospitalized in Islamabad. According to local sources, his condition deteriorated significantly after the news of the assassination of the governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, on January 4, 2011. He entered into a form of mental and physical depression that ultimately led to cardiac arrest, and his death on Jan. 10, 2011.
Jacob Bhatti was of fundamental importance in his son's life. One testimony of this appeared in newspapers in Pakistan at the time of death describing him thus: "He was a brave man and was the main source of strength for his son. He encouraged him and helped him to deal with the most risky and precarious of situations".
Shahbaz Bhatti, after completing his studies, started his political career in Pakistan People's Party, the most progressive political group for the reform of the nation. He was quickly noted by party executives, and especially Benazir Bhutto, with whom he worked closely until the assassination of the charismatic leader of Pakistan. In an interview with AsiaNews he had called for the creation of "an independent UN commission" of investigation into the murder of Benazir Bhutto.
Shahbaz was on the train along with Bhutto at the time of the attack and suffered only minor physical injuries. He described what happened to AsiaNews: "At a certain point, around the area of Karsaz, there were two huge explosions, right next to the carriage carrying Ms Bhutto, at head of the procession. The former premier had just gone down into the lower compartment of to rest, when there was an explosion. The windows of the vehicle were shattered, the door was destroyed, all around there were dead and injured. When I got off the train, there was blood and bits of bodies everywhere. This vile act of cowardly terrorism offends us deeply and saddens all the people of Pakistan. These are days of mourning and sorrow. "
Bhatti always paid special attention to the situation of the country's most discriminated against. He was chairman of the APM (All Pakistan Minorities Alliance).This is a representative organization of marginalized communities and religious minorities in Pakistan, working on several fronts in support of the needy, the poor, the persecuted. Speaking of the reason for his commitment, he would simply say: "I just want a place at the feet of Jesus I want my life, my character, my actions to speak for me and say that I am following Jesus Christ."