LAHORE – All prominent religious parties and groups, who earlier led protests against the proposed changes in blasphemy law and never bothered to deplore the murder of Salmaan Taseer, raised voice against the killing of Federal Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti without mincing their words. “Deplorable, absolutely deplorable, and a conspiracy to malign Pakistan. Islam advises us to protect lives and property of all minorities at all costs.
It’s a government duty to give protection to all its citizens but it has failed even to protect high level state functionaries,” said chairman Sunni Ittehad Council Fazl-i-Karim. Convener Tehrik-i-Namoos-i-Risalat Pakistan Abu-al-Khair Zubair has said that after peaceful struggle, they were able to secure the pledge from government that it has no intention to change blasphemy law but the killers of Shahbaz Bhatti had marred the success.
“We categorically condemn this act executed under the banner of Namoos-i-risalat,” Liaqat Baloch, Secratory General Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan said while condemning the brutal incident. “The possibility of an attempt to deviate attention from Raymond Davis issue cannot be ruled out,” he said. “Anyhow the perpetrators should be given exemplary punishment” he asserted.
Ameer Hamza, lead Tehrik-i-Hurmat-i-Rasool has alleged that it is an act of Black Water who wanted to give a bad name to Pakistan. He advised the government to reject the international pressure for changes in blasphemy law. “In coming days government should make up its mind to resist international pressure on blasphemy law that might be the result of Bhatti’s killing, at the same time it should give protection to all its citizens without discrimination,” said the THR head.
Spokesman Tehrik-i-Namoos-i-Risalat Mahaz Zia-ul-Haq Naqshbandi while condemning the incident said everybody cannot take the law in their hands.
