Shahbaz Bhatti – The Christian Hero

Bhatti, the only Christian in the country’s cabinet, was Pakistan’s first Federal Minister for Minorities from 2008 until he was brutally gunned down by unknown assassins in Islamabad on March 2, 2011.

The church service for the country’s only Christian federal minister, who was assassinated by the Taliban, was held in the federal capital and was attended by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.

Since his shocking murder, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan has claimed responsibility for his killing and called him a “blasphemer of Muhammad.”

Members of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), as well as Christian legislators including Tahir Naveed Chaudhary, Michael Javed, Prince Javed, Jaffer George, were among those saluting the heroism of Mr. Bhatti at the memorial service/rally.

Others who participated included Khalid Gill, Farrukh Tanvir (APMA youth leader) and politicians from various political parties. Amongst them were Ms. Asiya Nasir from Muthida Majlis Amal, and Akmal Gill from the Pakistan Muslim League.

“Shahbaz Bhatti has tried hard to promote interfaith harmony but those who want to destabilise Pakistan have killed him,” said Badruddin Chaudhry, a Muslim attending the funeral.

Only dignitaries were allowed to enter the Church amid tight security.

Scores of members of the Christian community, who had come to attend the memorial service, stayed outside the Church after they were not allowed to enter the premises. Later, they staged a protest and subsequently a sit-in on the Faisal Avenue.

Diplomats from everal countries also participated in the prayers.

Punjab’s provincial legislator and Sargodha zone’s APMA head, Tahir Naveed Chaudhary, as well as provincial legislator of Khyberpakhtunkhwa, Michael Javed, the provincial legislator of Sindh and a strong candidate to fill the vacant seat of the martyred Shahbaz Bhatti, as well as Asiya Nasir (MMA) and Akmal Gill (PML-Q) who all addressed the crowd.

Touching scenes could be seen during the ceremony as relatives and siblings of Bhatti and APMA workers wept openly in memory of Shahbaz Bhatti.

Shahbaz Bhatti last visit in uk with Ashar Mall with mayor of walthamstow

ASHAR MALL – CHAIRMAN
VOICE OF PEOPLE MEDIA UK LTD.
Founder member of CHRISTIAN LIBRATIONS FRONT PAKISTAN

During their addresses, all of the politicians, paid tribute to former Mr. Bhatti and they saluted his services to “uphold interfaith peace, love, harmony and tolerance,” and his “untiring efforts” to repeal the black controversial blasphemy laws of Pakistani.

APMA workers then demanded that the government “should announce a policy to eradicate the militancy deeply rooted in the Pakistani society.” They also vowed “to put all their efforts” in quashing the blasphemy and other discriminatory laws.

Note: Pakistan President, Asif Ali Zardari, recently conferred some 270 civil and military awards on outstanding individuals at an investiture ceremony in Islamabad. Among them was Dr. Shahbaz Bhatti, who was conferred the Hilal-i-Shujaat (Gallantry) award, which was received by his mother.

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