Shahbaz Bhatti, minister of minority affairs, Pakistan, died at the age of 42 years outside his mother's Islamabad home on Mar 02, 2011. He was assassinated for his unbending resistance to Pakistan's blasphemy laws and the injustices and insularity. Shahbaz Bhatti was a Roman Catholic born in Lahore and grew up in Khuspur, town of Faislabad district. Bhatti's spiritual awakening inclination was attributed towards his life's work and he dedicated his life to serve others, as he strongly believed that Christ had done the same for all. Bhatti founded the Christian Liberation Front (CLF) in 1985 while studying for his bachelor's degree in Lahore with political science.
CLF postulate to render the rights of religious minorities in Pakistan and promote catholicity. In 2011, Pakistan's population estimated to be 185 million, of which around 75% were Sunni Muslim, 20% Shia Muslim and 4-5% were categorized as other religions. Of these, Hindus and Christians each constituted 1.5-2%, and the remaining 1% were Ahmadi Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and others. The CLF prelude and will power was a brave decision against the treatment of non-Muslims under the organizational arrangement of General Zia-ul-Haq (1977-88).
In 1992, CLF started it’s first national drive against the blasphemy laws in the Pakistan. In 2002, Bhatti campaigns from 1992-2002 led to foundation of All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) and he launched this nationwide union of minority alliance with NGOs of Pakistan. APMA campaign was started on the backbone of over 500 minority representatives united from across the nation. Shahbaz Bhatti for his unconditional services and leadership of CLF & APMA towards minorities of Pakistan received international awards. Bhatti's further entry into politics was a strategic decision, ascertained and taken by him in the best interests of religious minorities of Pakistan.
In 2008, he was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan and assumed the appointment of federal minister for minorities affairs. He was the only Christian minister in the parliament of Pakistan. His achievements dictated 5% minorities quota in the governmental jobs, first time any minority seats in the Senate history & 24-hour helpline number for the minorities of Pakistan. He earned the respect of an international political leader for minorities across global reaction to his death. On the blasphemy laws, he had meticulously worked on the amendments since 2009, but progress made mostly over the period of time was ceased by the Pakistan government after the assassination of Punjab's governor, Salman Taseer, in January 2011 who was also working in alliance with the Shahbaz Bhatti and opposed Blasphemy law in Pakistan. However, Shahbaz Bhatti didn’t stop and continued rendering his services for entire minorities in the Pakistan. After Salman Taseer assassination, Bhatti revealed that he also received death threats from the terrorist groups to stand down otherwise he will be punished like Salman Taseer.
Bhatti was assassinated by the terrorist group Tehrik-i-Taliban, also known as the Pakistani Taliban. On March 2, 2011 Bhatti was moving for his work through a residential area and when he had just left his mother's home, then his vehicle was sprayed with bullets by the terrorists. During attack he was alone, without any police or government provisioned security. His driver reported stopped the car and he bowed down inside the car when he saw the terrorists approaching rather than attempted to move out from the scene of crime to evade the threat. His death was followed after the assassination of Salman Taseer, then the governor of Punjab province, who was killed for his resistance to Pakistan’s blasphemy law. Together, Shahbaz Bhatti and Salman Taseer were handling the case of Asia Bibi, a Christian mother who spent almost ten years in the prison of Pakistan after being sentenced to death for blasphemy. Due to Shahbaz Bhatti, Asia Bibi is free today and residing in Canada because of their shared legacies.
Shahbaz was the only Christian in the Pakistan cabinet, who did not shy away from discouraging persecution of minorities in the Pakistan. For this, the dark forces of Pakistan viz terrorist groups assassinated him on March 2, 2011, in a hope to teach a lesson to the minorities. Pakistan has been a dangerous country for Christians and other minorities living in the country. Government laws has been victimizing these minorities since decades and beside all violent extremists’ groups kept on striking these groups with impunity.
Shahbaz Bhatti was leading the campaign against sharia law of Pakistan and for the complete abolishment of the blasphemy law for the oppressed and marginalized persecuted Christians and other minorities. The Pakistan extremists have been trying to radicalise the society of Pakistan and undoubtably Pakistan government have been found supporting them instead of challenging and taking legal actions against them.
Blasphemy cases are continued to pile up in the Pakistan still in 2022. Hindus,Christians, other religious groups and Shia Muslims are experiencing a similar hell. Pakistan has jailed many innocent peoples for blasphemy than the rest of the world altogether. The forced conversion of minor religious groups and enforced marriages of Hindu and Christian girls has become a routine in the Pakistan and this is euphemism for physical and spiritual rape. The government of Pakistan has does nothing on record till date to stop these abuses.
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