WASHINGTON – The assassinated minister for minorities affairs Shahbaz Bhatti was an ardent proponent of Quaid-e-Azam’s vision for an egalitarian Pakistan and devoted his efforts to a moderate and united country amid a spate of challenges, Christian leaders and officials said on Sunday.
Paying tribute to the slain leader at a service held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania they said that in Bhatti’s death, Pakistan lost a vibrant voice for moderation and a great son of the soil. Deputy Chief of the Pakistani Mission in Washington Iffat Gardezi recalled Bhatti’s inter-faith initiatives as he strived to build bridges between faiths.
“He spoke at large mosques at the invitation of imams and in July 2010 secured a groundbreaking joint statement by religious leaders to denounce terrorism,” she said. The memorial prayer was attended by Stewart John, Christian League of Pakistan President Earnest Gulab, Pakistani-American Christian Coalition President Dr Dominique Issac and a number of Pakistani-Americans.
Gardazi said that an overwhelming majority of Pakistanis was moderate and peace-loving and only a handful of people with distorted ideologies were tarnishing the image of the country but they, in no way, represented Pakistani society. The deputy ambassador assured the gathering that the government of Pakistan was committed to root out the menace of extremism.
“In this struggle we have suffered many setbacks including the martyrdom of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, governor Salmaan Taseer and now Shahbaz Bhatti. These sacrifices should serve as a reminder to moderate voices in Pakistan to stand up against extremism,” Gardezi said.
