Indian christians condemn killing of Pakistan minister
March 2nd, 2011 - 10:09 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, March 2 (IANS) Christians across India have condemned the murder of Pakistan’s minister for minorities Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian, who was gunned down in Islamabad Wednesday by unidentified men allegedly for his views on the country’s controversial blasphemy law.
Bhatti, 42, was the only Christian minister in the Muslim majority country and met the same fate as Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who was gunned down by his own bodyguard Jan 4.
“The killing of an important leader of minorities shows the threats and pressures under which minorities are living in Pakistan. There have been reports about abduction and false implication in blasphemy cases and killings of members of the minority communities on a daily basis,” secretary general of the All India Christian Council John Dayal said.
Activists demanded measures to curtail right wing extremists and ensure safety of minorities in Pakistan.
“We strongly condemn this heinous act of killing which reflects the sad state of affairs in Pakistan and certainly calls for attention from all concerned to bring about normalcy in a country struggling under the pressure of right wing extremists,” Father Babu Joseph, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, told IANS.
Former diplomat K.P. Fabian said Pakistan should respect all minorities without any religious prejudice.
“Pakistan has many different religious communities and it is most important that they respect the religious sentiments of others. Everyone should be treated equally irrespective of their religion,” said Fabian, who is also the president of non-governmental organisation Indo Global Social Service Society.
Both Bhatti and Taseer supported a reform in Pakistan’s blasphemy law. Both were also seeking presidential pardon for Aasia Bibi, a 45-year-old Christian farmhand who was sentenced to death on charges of denigrating Prophet Muhammad.
Minorities make up barely five percent of Pakistan’s population of 170 million. Christians are the second largest minority after Hindus.
- Pakistan minister gunned down in Islamabad (Third Lead) - Mar 02, 2011
- International manhunt on for Pakistani minister's killers - Dec 26, 2011
- Zardari remembers slain minorities minister - Mar 06, 2012
- Pakistani minister, a Christian, assassinated (Fourth Lead) - Mar 02, 2011
- Bhatti killers enemies of Pakistan: PM Gilani - Mar 04, 2011
- A Pakistani law that felled a minister and a governor - Mar 03, 2011
- India condemns killing of Pakistan minister - Mar 03, 2011
- Archbishop of Canterbury calls slain Pak Christian minister 'a martyr' - Mar 08, 2011
- Judge who sentenced governor's killer flees Pakistan - Oct 25, 2011
- Shahbaz Bhatti could have been saved, says brother - Mar 04, 2011
- Pak Taliban threatens to target more blasphemy law reform supporters - Mar 03, 2011
- Pakistani woman on death row likely to get pardon - Nov 20, 2010
- Minorities committee asks Pak Govt. to pursue Taseer murder case 'properly' - Feb 20, 2011
- Pak minorities term slain liberal politician Taseer as 'Shaheed-e-Haq' - Jan 10, 2011
- Pak lawmakers blame 'lapse of security' for Bhatti's assassination - Mar 04, 2011
Tags: aasia, babu joseph, blasphemy law, catholic bishops conference, catholic bishops conference of india, christian minister, daily basis, dayal, heinous act, indian christians, minorities in pakistan, muslim majority, populatio, presidential pardon, prophet muhammad, religious prejudice, religious sentiments, right wing extremists, sad state of affairs, salman taseer