Pope Benedict XVI prayed that the assassination of Pakistan's minister for minorities would awaken people's consciences to the need to protect the freedom of religious minorities.
"I ask the Lord Jesus that the moving sacrifice of the life of the Pakistani minister, Shahbaz Bhatti, will awaken in people's consciences courage and a commitment to safeguarding the religious freedom of all men and women and, in that way, promote their equal dignity," the pope said March 6 during his midday Angelus address.
A radical Muslim group is suspected of murdering Bhatti, who was killed in his car in Islamabad March 2. He was the first Catholic to serve as minister for minorities and was outspoken against Pakistan's anti-blasphemy laws, which Christians say have been used to persecute religious minorities.,,
Bhatti was the second Pakistani official to be assassinated for opposing the anti-blasphemy laws. Salman Taseer, a Muslim and governor of Punjab province, was killed Jan. 4.
The other official assassinated was Salman Taseer,
Pakistan's blasphemy law has come under greater scrutiny in recent weeks after a Christian woman, Asia Bibi, was sentenced to death for allegedly insulting Islam's Prophet Muhammad. The law effectively orders death for anyone convicted of insulting Islam.
Taseer had said Bibi should be granted a pardon, a stance that earned him opprobrium from Islamist groups across the country as well as threats, according to Shahbaz Bhatti, the minister for minorities.
"I was under huge pressure sure 2 cow down b4 rightest pressure on blasphemy. Refused. Even if I'm the last man standing," Taseer wrote on Twitter on Dec. 31.
"He was the most courageous voice after Benazir Bhutto on the rights of women and religious minorities," said a crying Farahnaz Ispahani, an aide to Zardari and friend of Taseer. "God, we will miss him."
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StrategyPage says the lack of public outcry against these murders is an ominous sign for Pakistan.
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