| I had never met Shahbaz Bhatti but I knew him to be a bold man. It was for this reason that I called him over the telephone one fine December morning last year. I wanted to discuss the possibility of convincing the mother of a juvenile Christian housemaid, who died in mysterious circumstances, to challenge the acquittal of the accused. The girl had died in Lahore in January 2010 while she was on duty at the house of the accused. I had heard that Shahbaz Bhatti was in contact with the girl’s mother. He assured me of all possible support, and promised to revert to me later.
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Showing posts with label Assassinated. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Assassinated. Show all posts
Thursday, March 3, 2011
One more reason to leave this country?
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Curse of the Blasphemy Law
Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Minorities Assassinated
Today Pakistan has lost a brave son. Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister for Minorities, has been assassinated by extremist forces. Mr Shahbaz Bhatti had expressed concern over the controversial blasphemy bill. Like Shaheed Salman Taseer (ex-Governor Punjab), Mr Shahbaz Bhatti had also presented his views to make amendments in the implementation of blasphemy law. Blasphemy law is responsible for great injustices and tragedies in our society because of how it is used and implemented by people, religious parties and the government to settle scores with enemies. It has become a curse for our country and its innocent people. It gives the uncouth, uneducated, malignant and militant elements in our country unquestionable powers to rule the weak and helpless. Its law that has nothing to do with Islam or any other religion. This law does not follow any guidelines regarding justice as determined by the Islamic law, Its a law that no one in our society understands or dare to question. Read more on: http://paper.li/corruptkeeray
Today Pakistan has lost a brave son. Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister for Minorities, has been assassinated by extremist forces. Mr Shahbaz Bhatti had expressed concern over the controversial blasphemy bill. Like Shaheed Salman Taseer (ex-Governor Punjab), Mr Shahbaz Bhatti had also presented his views to make amendments in the implementation of blasphemy law. Blasphemy law is responsible for great injustices and tragedies in our society because of how it is used and implemented by people, religious parties and the government to settle scores with enemies. It has become a curse for our country and its innocent people. It gives the uncouth, uneducated, malignant and militant elements in our country unquestionable powers to rule the weak and helpless. Its law that has nothing to do with Islam or any other religion. This law does not follow any guidelines regarding justice as determined by the Islamic law, Its a law that no one in our society understands or dare to question. Read more on: http://paper.li/corruptkeeray
Curse of the Blasphemy Law
Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Minorities Assassinated
Today Pakistan has lost a brave son. Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister for Minorities, has been assassinated by extremist forces. Mr Shahbaz Bhatti had expressed concern over the controversial blasphemy bill. Like Shaheed Salman Taseer (ex-Governor Punjab), Mr Shahbaz Bhatti had also presented his views to make amendments in the implementation of blasphemy law. Blasphemy law is responsible for great injustices and tragedies in our society because of how it is used and implemented by people, religious parties and the government to settle scores with enemies. It has become a curse for our country and its innocent people. It gives the uncouth, uneducated, malignant and militant elements in our country unquestionable powers to rule the weak and helpless. Its law that has nothing to do with Islam or any other religion. This law does not follow any guidelines regarding justice as determined by the Islamic law, Its a law that no one in our society understands or dare to question. Read more on: http://paper.li/corruptkeeray
Today Pakistan has lost a brave son. Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister for Minorities, has been assassinated by extremist forces. Mr Shahbaz Bhatti had expressed concern over the controversial blasphemy bill. Like Shaheed Salman Taseer (ex-Governor Punjab), Mr Shahbaz Bhatti had also presented his views to make amendments in the implementation of blasphemy law. Blasphemy law is responsible for great injustices and tragedies in our society because of how it is used and implemented by people, religious parties and the government to settle scores with enemies. It has become a curse for our country and its innocent people. It gives the uncouth, uneducated, malignant and militant elements in our country unquestionable powers to rule the weak and helpless. Its law that has nothing to do with Islam or any other religion. This law does not follow any guidelines regarding justice as determined by the Islamic law, Its a law that no one in our society understands or dare to question. Read more on: http://paper.li/corruptkeeray
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Pakistan, Federal Minister for Minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti assassinated
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.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Pakistan charges killer in blasphemy case
A Pakistani court Monday charged a police guard with the murder of a moderate politician who opposed the country's harsh anti-blasphemy laws, a case that exposed deep fissures in Pakistani society.
Mumtaz Qadri, who admitted to killing Punjab governor Salman Taseer on January 4, gained wide support, especially from Islamists who see liberal politicians such as Taseer as straying from Pakistan's Islamist credentials.
"The charges have been framed against Qadri and the prosecution has been asked by the court to present evidence in the next hearing," the prosecutor, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.
Taseer, who was close to President Asif Ali Zardari, had championed the cause of a Christian woman sentenced to death under the blasphemy law.
Critics say the law has often been misused against Pakistan's tiny religious minorities and to settle personal scores. Taseer had sought changes to the law, angering hardline Islamist groups.
After Qadri pumped 27 bullets into Taseer in broad daylight at an Islamabad shopping centre, he was viewed as a hero by many Pakistanis, highlighting how deeply religious extremism has penetrated mainstream Pakistani society.
Qadri's lawyer, Tariq Dhamial, quoted him as saying in court before the charges were read: "I have taught a lesson to the apostate Salman Taseer in the light of the teachings of the Koran."
How the case unfolds in Pakistan, a U.S. ally seen as vital in the war on militancy, will be closely watched by the United States and other Western countries.
Some Western nations accuse Zardari's government of being too soft on Islamist extremism, one of many destabilising forces in nuclear-armed Pakistan.
Pakistani rights activists hailed Qadri's indictment.
"Qadri's statement is a complete confession of an uncondonable and brutal murder," human rights campaigner and former law minister, Iqbal Haider said, "All sane people will appreciate this indictment.
But the leader of an Islamist party defended the police guard.
"He (Taseer) himself was responsible for his killing as he had hurt the religious sentiments and feelings of the whole nation by terming the blasphemy law as a 'black law'," Tariq Mehboob, deputy secretary general of Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan party said.
Since the killing, thousands of people have rallied in support of Qadri, demanding his release.
(Additional reporting by Faisal Aziz in Karachi; Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Chris Allbritton and Sanjeev Miglani)
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