Shahbaz Bhatti: "A Truly Brave Man And A Hero of The Faith"

He may not have been given anything approaching adequate protection. Excerpts:

It was a troubling phone call and it came late in the evening.

The man on the line had been told by security officials of a plot to kill him. He wanted more protection but wasn't getting it. He sounded anxious and alone, though he had a seat at the cabinet table.

The call was from Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan's Minister for Minority Affairs, the only Christian member of the Cabinet, now silenced forever by the Taliban. His killing was a death foretold by many, most of all Bhatti himself.

When he called that night, he was concerned about a warning from the security agencies.

"They say there's a terrorist plot to assassinate me," he said. "They've told me to be careful, but didn't tell me anything else. I haven't been given any extra security. It's just the same as it has been since I became a minister."

Though his voice sounded weary, the minister's commitment was unwavering. "I have struggled for a long time for justice and equality," he said.

"If I change my stance today, who will speak out? I am mindful that I can be assassinated any time, but I want to live in history as a courageous man."

After we ended our conversation, I could not escape the feeling that the minister had called to say goodbye...

The story includes some important background information on why the Pakistani blasphemy laws are a problem. The Catholic Herald comments:

...There are questions to be asked about all this. After all, Pakistan will soon be receiving more development aid from this country than any other country: and questions are more and more being asked about our relations with dodgy governments. Pakistan is supposed to be an ally. But is there not something dodgy in the extreme about a government which knows that one of its ministers is in great danger from terrorists and does nothing to protect him? Why was Shahbaz Bhatti refused extra security when he had asked for it? Why was there no security guard in the car with him? Why was he refused a bullet-proof car?...

Like many courageous Christians in Pakistan, Shahbaz Bhatti was a Catholic (most press reports simply describe him as a Christian). It must surely be said that he died for his faith, and that though his death is an event by which we are rightly horrified, it is also one by which we should be inspired. He died for opposing the persecution of all minorities, most of all for defending Asia Bibi, a Christian sentenced to death for blasphemy, as I recounted some time ago in this column, on the basis of false accusations. He was a truly brave man and a hero of the faith...

And the Pakistani Christian community knows it. Excerpts:

...There were emotional scenes as several thousand Christians buried their leader in his home village near Faisalabad.

Earlier, hundreds turned out for a church service in the capital.

...In the minister's native village of Khushpur nearby, black flags flew for the burial.

"The killers have snatched our hero," said Mr Bhatti's brother, Sikander, the Associated Press (AP) reports.

So large were the crowds that the burial was delayed by several hours, the BBC's M Ilyas Khan reports from Khushpur.

He says the thousands of mourners waited all day to pay their respects...

Ladies and gentlemen, behold a true Christian martyr.  (h/t Aggie Catholics).