Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s Federal
Minister for Minority Affairs and the only non-Muslim member of cabinet
has been assassinated in Islamabad.
 |
| Shahbaz Bhatti |
The 42 year old Christian minister is an
opponent of Pakistan’s blasphemy law that imposes death penalty on
those who insult Allah or Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), Moses (AS), Jesus
(AS) the son of Mary etc.
An eye witness named Gulam Raheem described how the assassination took place at a nearby market as he came out.
‘Three men were standing somewhere near
with guns when Bhatti’s car drove out of his house,’ said Raheem who
took shelter behind a tree. ‘Two of the men opened the door and tried to
pull Bhatti out, while a third man fired his Kalashnikov rifle
repeatedly into the car. The three gunmen then fled the scene in a white
Suzuki car,’ said Raheem.
The assailants were reportedly sent by
Pakistani Taliban who also was said to have left a note attributed to
al-Qaeda at the site where Bhatti was gunned down.
Shahbaz Bhatti is not the first high
profile victim for campaigning against the blasphemy law. On last
January, Salman Taseer, the Punjab Governor who had strongly opposed the
blasphemy law and sought a presidential pardon for Aasia Bibi was
assassinated by one of his own bodyguards. Bibi was found guilty of
insulting Prophet Mohammed and sentenced to death under the blasphemy
law by a court in Nankana Sahib District of Punjab.
A Saudi-based Pakistani businessman
named Tariq Soomro believes Bhatti’s killing is part of a larger
international conspiracy to defame Pakistan.
“I am very sure that outside forces are behind this brutal and tragic killing,” Soomro said.
...................................................................Written by: Ibrahim Nazim
5 March 2011, Saturday
30 Raby`al-awal 1432
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