Shahbaz Bhatti assassinated: Live updates By AFP / Express Published: March 2, 2011 
Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti earlier said he had been receiving death threats since the Bibi case. PHOTO: AFP Federal Minister for minority affairs Shahbaz Bhatti has been killed in the I-8/3 area of Islamabad by two unidentified gunmen who shot at him and fled the scene on a car. 11:53 am Unconfirmed reports indicate that the Tehrik-e-Taliban Punjab have dropped pamphlets at the ambush site. The deputy commissioner has ordered an inquiry. 11:50 am Bhatti was ambushed moments after he left his residence. Security has been tightened in Islamabad. 11:45 am The police has started its investigations. Reports indicate that the minister’s driver survived the attack. 11: 39 am Dr Azmatullah Qureshi of the Shifa Hospital confirms the death of Shahbaz Bhatti. Bhatti, who belonged to the Pakistan Peoples Party, had been shifted to Shifa hospital. Dr Azmatullah Qureshi confirmed the death of the minister. Earlier, Bhatti had voiced his fears that he believed he would be “the highest target” following the assassination of Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer for speaking out against the blasphemy law. Bhatti had said fatwas, or religious decrees, had been issued calling for him to be beheaded, by extremist clerics in the country who were allowed to publicly spread messages of violence with impunity.
Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti earlier said he had been receiving death threats since the Bibi case. PHOTO: AFP Federal Minister for minority affairs Shahbaz Bhatti has been killed in the I-8/3 area of Islamabad by two unidentified gunmen who shot at him and fled the scene on a car. 11:53 am Unconfirmed reports indicate that the Tehrik-e-Taliban Punjab have dropped pamphlets at the ambush site. The deputy commissioner has ordered an inquiry. 11:50 am Bhatti was ambushed moments after he left his residence. Security has been tightened in Islamabad. 11:45 am The police has started its investigations. Reports indicate that the minister’s driver survived the attack. 11: 39 am Dr Azmatullah Qureshi of the Shifa Hospital confirms the death of Shahbaz Bhatti. Bhatti, who belonged to the Pakistan Peoples Party, had been shifted to Shifa hospital. Dr Azmatullah Qureshi confirmed the death of the minister. Earlier, Bhatti had voiced his fears that he believed he would be “the highest target” following the assassination of Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer for speaking out against the blasphemy law. Bhatti had said fatwas, or religious decrees, had been issued calling for him to be beheaded, by extremist clerics in the country who were allowed to publicly spread messages of violence with impunity.
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