Editorial
Killing of Pak minority minister
Voice of reason under grave threat
Two months after the killing of Punjab governor Salman Taseer for his stance against the blasphemy law by his own bodyguard, assailants have shot dead another vocal critique of the law, the federal minority affairs minister of Pakistan, Shahbaz Bhatti. And accusing fingers are being pointed at the militants of Pakistani Taleban. In both the cases, the murder of two important secular voices of the country have drawn widespread condemnation as well as sympathy from well meaning quarters from home and abroad.
We also condemn the dastardly killing of Shabaz Bhatti and express our deep sympathy to the members of the bereaved family and the community.
Though use of suicide bombs in public places, police or military installations or even mosques including religious institutions to kill scores of people is nothing new in Pakistan these days, the killing that took place at Pakistan's Islamabad on Wednesday has shaken the country to its core. Because the victim was not only a minister, he was also a representative of the nation's small Christian minority. Last year, a member of the community, Asiya Bibi was sentenced to death allegedly for uttering words that contravened the blasphemy law.
It is hardly surprising that saner and secular voices in Pakistan as elsewhere in the world have expressed their concern about the draconian blasphemy law as it is being used arbitrarily to persecute members of the minority community. But the fanatic elements of that society are not willing to stand any dissenting voice. So, like Salman Taseer, Shabaz Bhatti, too, had to meet with his predecessor's fate.
We share our concern with the saner and sensible section of Pakistani people, who are still trying to raise their courageous voice against the spectre of rising religious obscurantism in Pakistan. It is hoped that the Pakistan government will show no mercy to the killers and deal will be able to deal with the spectre befittingly.
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