Pope Benedict XVI expressed his concern for the protection of human
dignity and religious freedom again this week as Pakistani Catholics
recalled the legacy of murdered government minister Shahbaz Bhatti.
Father Shahzad Niamat, a Pakistani priest, was among the parish
priests of the Diocese of Rome present for a traditional Lenten audience
with Pope Benedict on March 10.
He represented the Pakistani clergy and
religious in the diocese as he spoke briefly with the Pope to inform
him of their situation.
“We explained to the Pope the situation of Christians in Pakistan,
where to witness to the faith can sometimes lead to death,” Fr. Niamat
told Fides news.
“The Holy Father seemed very concerned,” he said. “He expressed his solidarity and his support and assured us of his prayers.”
The priest also thanked the Pope for his words in support of the
Church and religious freedom in Pakistan after the assassination of
minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti on March 2.
“The Holy Father communicated to us his hope that things may change
and that in Pakistan there may be full respect for human dignity and
religious freedom. He gave us his blessing,” concluded Fr. Niamat.
Pakistan's ambassador to the Holy See, Mrs. Ayesha Riyaz told CNA
that the legacy of Bhatti lives on in Pakistan's government. His
assassination “is something that across the board, all of us have felt
deeply and we have endured and we have condemned,” she said.
“He was a remarkable man with a very good heart who did a lot of good things.”
“I think he is a man who has a legacy, and that legacy is for
interfaith harmony and interfaith dialogue. And, I think that legacy
will continue and we are all committed to it,” said Riyaz on March 10.
Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari said that, “Bhatti's sacrifice
for the Country, for religious minorities, to promote inter-religious
harmony and tolerance will not be in vain and will be remembered for
long to come.”
Fides reported the declaration after a March 8 meeting with Bhatti's mother, four brothers and sister.
In a resolution adopted at the European Parliament on March 10,
diplomats condemned the assassination and called for the appointment
“without delay” of a new, “strong and impartial minority representative
to take his place.”
They also urged a thorough investigation of the “brutal murder” and
warned that the “next candidate for murder” could be former Pakistani
minister, Sherry Rehman, for whom a death order has reportedly been
issued by extremists.
A candidate favored to assume the murdered Bhatti's role at the head
of the Ministry for Minority Affairs is his brother, Paul Bhatti, a
surgeon.
He has already been elected to succeed his brother as the
director of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance.
Ambassador Riyaz did not exclude the possible succession.
The younger
Bhatti's candidacy must first go through the election commission.