Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Pakistan, killed minister Christian Vatican: "Defending religious freedom"

ISLAMABAD - Minister for religious minorities in Pakistan, Shahbaz Bhatti, a Catholic, was killed by an armed commando in an attack in Islamabad. The spokesman said a local hospital in Shifa, Azmatullah Qureshi. Bhatti, 35, had just been confirmed in the following a reshuffle of the government, despite pressure from Islamic fundamentalist groups.

In recent months he had been threatened with death for having sought to amend the blasphemy law and for having the grace to batuto Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death in June 2009 just under that law. Asia Bibi, mother of two children, dubbed the "Sakineh Christian", is awaiting trial before the Appellate Court of Lahore.

E 'accused of insulting Muhammad, during a discussion with colleagues, in Punjab. "I thank God for giving me this opportunity to continue my struggle pearls oppressed minorities of Pakistan," he said Bhatti confirmed in the following, Christians and other minorities are citizens of Pakistan and have the same rights as any other citizens because our fathers gave their lives for the country.

"In January, Bhatti was among the first to condemn the murder of the governor of Punjab Salmaan Taseer, he finished in the crosshairs of the fundamentalists for having sought to abolish the blasphemy law . On the site of the attack were found leaflets Pakistani Taliban. From an initial reconstruction, Bhatti had just left his house with his car, not reinforced, and without an escort, when a white car the shots were fired about twenty shots.

The car of the attackers was immediately removed. The attack took place near the market in a residential neighborhood in Rome. Bhatti died during transfer to hospital. The television showed pictures of the car riddled with bullets. The assassination of Minister of Pakistan "is a new fact of terrible violence of gravity.

It just shows how persistent intervention of the Pope about the violence against Christians and against religious freedom in general," said Vatican spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi. "Bhatti - said the Jesuit - was the first Catholic to hold such a post. Please note that was received by the Pope last September, had given testimony to its commitment to peaceful coexistence among different religious communities in the country." "In the prayer for the victim, the condemnation of the unspeakable acts of violence, the proximity to the Pakistani Christians hate so impressed, he joined the appeal - said Father Lombardi - because everyone recognizes the urgency of the dramatic defense religious freedom of Christians and subjected to violence and persecution.

" Also condemned by the Italian Government. For the Foreign Minister Franco Frattini is an act of intolerable violence against a person who had distinguished himself for his vision and commitment to build a society based on dialogue and tolerance for all minorities and different religions " .

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