Shahbaz Bhatti told a group of Canadians recently that his Christian faith gave him strength.
He was a leading reformist and spoke out against the country’s blasphemy laws.
Pamphlets attributed to the Pakistani Taliban were found at the scene of the killing.
The Telegraph reported:
Pakistan’s only Christian minister Shahbaz Bhatti was shot dead today after pushing for the reform of harsh blasphemy laws that impose the death penalty for insulting Islam.
The assassination comes just a fortnight after Mr Bhatti, Minister for Minorities, said he was prepared to die for his beliefs following a series of death threats.
He claimed his faith gave him strength during a recent visit to Canada.
The member of Muslim-majority Pakistan’s Christian community, was on his way to work in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, when unknown gunmen riddled his car with bullets, police officer Mohmmad Iqbal said.
He was taken to Shifa Hospital with his driver who was also badly wounded.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but private Pakistani TV channels showed pamphlets at the scene of the killing that were attributed to the Pakistani Taliban warning of the same fate for anyone opposing the blasphemy laws.
Hat Tip Gini
Rest in peace, Shahbaz Bhatti.
