Shahbaz Bhatti

Shahbaz Bhatti شہباز بھٹی
Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs
In office 2 November 2008 – 2 March 2011
President	Asif Ali Zardari
Prime Minister	Yousaf Raza Gillani
Preceded by	Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq
Personal details
Born	9 September 1968(1968-09-09)[1] Lahore, Pakistan[1]
Died	2 March 2011(2011-03-02) (aged 42) Islamabad, Pakistan
Nationality	Pakistani
Political party	Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Website	http://www.shahbazbhatti.com

Clement Shahbaz Bhatti (9 September 1968 – 2 March 2011)^[1], popularly known as Shahbaz Bhatti, was a Pakistani politician and elected member of the National Assembly from 2008.^[2] He was the first Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs^[1] from November 2008 until his assassination on 2 March 2011 in Islamabad.^[3] Bhatti, a Roman Catholic, was an outspoken critic of Pakistan's blasphemy laws and the only Christian in the Cabinet.^[4] Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for his killing and called him a blasphemer of Muhammad.^[5]

Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Assassination 3.1 Reactions 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

Early life

Bhatti was born in Lahore to Christian (Roman Catholic) parents from the village of Khushpur, Faisalabad. His father, Jacob Bhatti, served in the army, then as a teacher, before becoming chairman of the board of churches in Khushpur.^[6] Shahbaz Bhatti was unmarried; he had four brothers and one sister.^[7]

Career

As a student, Bhatti founded and served as head of Pakistan's Christian Liberation Front,^[8] which he formed in 1985.^[9] He later helped to found the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) in 2002 and was unanimously elected as its chairman.^[10] He met with President Pervez Musharraf as part of a group of minority rights advocates.^[11] Bhatti joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in 2002,^[1] but remained outside politics until becoming a minister in 2008. He was placed on the government's Exit Control List in 2003, but was removed in November of that year.^[12]

Bhatti was appointed as Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs on 2 November 2008, when, for the first time, the post was elevated to cabinet level and an independent ministry created. At the time, he said that he accepted the post for the sake of the "oppressed, down-trodden and marginalized" of Pakistan, and that he had dedicated his life to the "struggle for human equality, social justice, religious freedom, and to uplift and empower religious minorities' communities." He added that he wanted to send "a message of hope to the people living a life of disappointment, disillusionment and despair", and also stated his commitment to reforming the country's blasphemy laws.^[6]

During his time as federal minister, he took numerous steps in support of religious minorities. These included the launch of a national campaign to promote interfaith harmony, the proposal of legislation to ban hate speech and related literature, the proposed introduction of comparative religion as a curriculum subject, the introduction of quotas for religious minorities in government posts and the reservation of four Senate seats for minorities.^[1] Bhatti also spearheaded the organisation of a National Interfaith Consultation in July 2010, which brought together senior religious leaders of all faiths from across Pakistan and resulted in a joint declaration against terrorism.^[13]

Assassination

Bhatti had been the recipient of death threats since 2009, when he spoke in support of Pakistani Christians attacked in the 2009 Gojra riots in Punjab Province. These threats increased following his support for Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian sentenced to death in 2010 for blasphemy.^[14] The United States had tried to obtain increased security for him and get him an armored car but was unsuccessful.^[15] Bhatti himself foretold his death and recorded a video, which was to be released in case of his death, where he said "I believe in Jesus Christ who has given his own life for us, and I am ready to die for a cause. I'm living for my community ... and I will die to defend their rights."^[16]

According to the BBC, he was traveling to work through a residential district, having just left his mother's home, when his vehicle was sprayed with bullets. At the time of the attack he was alone, without any security. His driver reports having stopped the car and ducked when he saw armed men approaching rather than attempting to evade the threat. Bhatti was taken to a nearby hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival. The group Tehrik-i-Taliban told the BBC that they carried out the attack, because Bhatti was a "known blasphemer." A Roman Catholic who had criticized Pakistan's blasphemy law, his death follows that of Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who was also assassinated amid the controversy over the blasphemy law.^[5]

On the day following Bhatti's assassination, hundreds of Christian demonstrators reportedly took to the streets across Punjab, with protesters burning tires and demanding justice.^[17]

According to Minorities Concern of Pakistan, "Investigators are divided over the assassination case with some in the Islamabad police pointing the fingers at the Taliban and al-Qaeda. Later in 2011, an attempt was also made to shift the blame to “internal squabbles” among Christians.^[18]

Reactions

Domestic

•  Pakistan - Farahnaz Ispahani, an aide to President Asif Ali Zardari, condemned the assassination, saying: "This is a concerted campaign to slaughter every liberal, progressive and humanist voice in Pakistan." ^[5] President Zardari vowed to combat the forces of obscurantism, and said, "we will not be intimidated nor will we retreat." The government declared three days of mourning. However, when the prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gillani, led a two-minute silence in parliament, three members of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam party remained seated. Muhammad Rafi Usmani, the grand mufti of Pakistan, referred to the possibility of the assassination being "an American conspiracy to defame the government of Pakistan, Muslims and Islam."^[17] The Pakistani delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Asim Ahmad, said that it would not be right to link Bhatti's murder to the issue of blasphemy. Ahmad said freedom of speech could not justify defamation and blasphemy; “It is important to prevent the deliberate campaign of defamation of Islam and its Prophet.”^[19]

Supranational

•  EU - Catherine Ashton, the European Union foreign affairs chief, condemned the murder, saying, "I am also deeply concerned about the climate of intolerance and violence linked to the debate on the controversial blasphemy laws."^[20]
•  UN - Navanethem Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, called on Pakistan to reform its blasphemy laws and said that the country had been poisoned by extremism.^[20]

States

•  Australia - Australian foreign minister Kevin Rudd called Bhatti a courageous man whose efforts to protect and promote the rights of all minorities in Pakistan, regardless of race or religion won him the admiration and respect of people in Pakistan and around the world.^[21]
•  Canada - Prime Minister Stephen Harper called the killers "gutless." The Canadian House of Commons passed a motion condemning the murder and offered condolences to Bhatti's family.^[22]
•  France - The French government stated that it was horrified by the assassination and urged the authorities to find the killers.^[23]
•  Germany - Foreign minister Guido Westerwelle expressed shock at the killing and said Bhatti was passionately committed to the rights of minorities in Pakistan.^[24]
•  India - The Indian government condemned what it called "this dastardly crime," adding, "In this difficult hour, our prayers and thoughts are with the bereaved family and the people of Pakistan."^[25]
•  Spain - Spanish government condemned the killing and said, "Both as a leader of the Alliance for the All Pakistan Minorities (APMA) and from his responsibility as minister, Bhatti distinguished himself for his efforts in promoting intercultural and interfaith dialogue and the rights of all minorities in Pakistan."^[23]
•  UK - Prime Minister David Cameron called the murder "absolutely brutal and unacceptable".^[20]
•  USA - President Barack Obama condemned the murder and called for the killers to be brought to justice.^[20]
•  Holy See - Papal spokesman Federico Lombardi condemned the assassination calling it "unspeakable."^[5] He also called for the need to defend religious freedom and end persecution of Christians in Pakistan.^[26] Pope Benedict XVI commenting on Bhatti's said his “moving sacrifice” inspired “courage and commitment to strive for religious freedom for all men.”^[27]

According to Minorities Concern of Pakistan, Shahbaz Bhatti's murderer is still unknown. Minorities are demanding for formation of a commission to probe the Bhatti case.^[28]

See also

• Freedom of speech versus blasphemy

References

External links

• Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan Herald profile.
• Shahbaz Bhatti receives International Religious Freedom Award. Pakistan Press International Article, March 21, 2004.
• PAKISTAN: Religious freedom in the shadow of extremism. CSW religious freedom briefing, June 2011.

Persondata
Name	Bhatti, Shahbaz
Alternative names
Short description	Minister for Minorities Affairs, Pakistan
Date of birth	9 September 1968
Place of birth	Lahore, Pakistan
Date of death	2 March 2011
Place of death	Sector I-8, Islamabad, Pakistan