Pakistani Christians will
continue the struggle launched by the Minister for Minorities Shahbaz
Bhatti - murdered by armed extremists March 2 last - against laws that
promote violence and divisions in society.
So says Mgr.
Lawrence John Saldanha, archbishop of Lahore, who presided at a memorial Mass for the Catholic politician.
The community is
"saddened and still in shock" over the brutal execution, confirms the
Archbishop, but the "closeness" expressed by Pope Benedict XVI are a source of happiness and relief.
During the Angelus from St. Peter's Square, Benedict XVI
honoured the memory of the Pakistani minister, recalling his "moving
sacrifice of life."
"I ask the Lord Jesus - said the pope - that
the moving sacrifice of the life of Pakistani Minister Shahbaz Bhatti
may rekindle in people the courage and commitment to protect religious
freedom for all mankind and in this way also promote equal dignity for
all".
Interviewed by AsiaNews, Mgr. John Saldanha, who is also
president of the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP),
confirms that "Christians are gladdened by the support and closeness of
Benedict XVI, who has repeatedly spoken in favour of religious freedom
and rights of persecuted minorities.
"However there is a fringe in the
country - says the prelate - who consider the Pope's position
interference" in internal affairs and "do not intend to listen to his
words" in particular, the religious parties who "are opposed to any
intervention or interference in the politics of the country".
The Archbishop of Lahore explains that "the Pakistani Christian
community is saddened and still in shock" over the death of Shahbaz
Bhatti, who always showed great commitment "to the weak and minorities”.
The blasphemy law, confirms the bishop, is "the root of all problems"
and that is why "we will fight with all our strength," as the federal
minister did, paying with his very life.
"Politicians and the government – continues Mgr. Saldanha -
have so far maintained an attitude of weakness ", backing down on
amendments or changes to the black law, that has become a pretext for
settling personal disputes.
Christians, said Mgr. Saldanha,
have "good relations" with the majority of people, but it "will take a
long, long time to build relations of peaceful coexistence," which will
allow the creation of a truly multi-ethnic and multicultural Pakistan.
"Today these relations- concluded the bishop - are marked by violence,
moderates show solidarity, but the fundamentalist fringe controls the
minds of people, fomenting attacks and abuse."
In different areas of Lahore marches were held to
protest the death of Shahbaz Bhatti, riddled with 30 gunshot wounds.
The
protesters called for changes to the blasphemy laws and other
regulations that discriminate against religious minorities in Pakistan.
The minority wing of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), the
governing party, of which the State Minister for Minorities was a
member, organized events attended by human rights activists, women and
children belonging to different religious faiths, including Muslims.
Many voiced their anger against politicians branded as "turncoats",
among them Maulana Fazul Rehman, who "only a month ago was opposed to
changes" the "black law" and now is"open to possible discussions."
However, the situation in Karachi was calmer, where there was
no mention of the murder of the federal minister during Sunday Mass y.
Priests asked for prayers for Pakistan's political leadership and the
future of the country, but there was no explicit mention of Bhatti’s
assassination.