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Pope lauds Bhatti's 'sacrifice' for religious freedom
Pope Benedict says Bhatti inspires "courage and commitment to strive for religious freedom for all men."
Pope Benedict says Bhatti inspires "courage and commitment to strive for religious freedom for all men." PHOTO: REUTERS
VATICAN CITY: Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday expressed “great concern” over the crises in several African and Asian countries, mentioning Pakistan and Libya in particular.
Speaking after the weekly Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican, the head of the Roman Catholic Church urged that the “moving sacrifice” of Pakistan’s murdered Catholic minorities minister, inspire “courage and commitment to strive for religious freedom for all men.”
Shahbaz Bhatti, a vocal opponent of Pakistan’s Islamic blasphemy law and promoter of interfaith dialogue, was shot dead in broad daylight in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Bhatti had defied death threats after the assassination of another political moderate who wanted to reform the legislation, which critics say is often misused to settle personal scores against vulnerable minorities.
“I follow with great concern the tensions in several countries in Africa and Asia in these days,” the pope said in Italian.
Benedict then sent his thoughts and prayers to those caught up in the crisis in Libya, “where recent clashes have caused numerous deaths and a growing humanitarian crisis.”
In his first official reaction to the crisis since the uprising against Libyan leader Moammar Qaddafi began, the pontiff said: “To all the victims and those who find themselves in distressing situations I send my prayers.”
“I ask for help and aid for the affected peoples,” Benedict said.
On Wednesday, the pope expressed his concern over the crisis to the head of the World Food Programme in a private audience at the Vatican, after WFP head Josette Sheeran warned him of the growing numbers of refugees fleeing violence.
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lol @ pope………Recommend
Shame Shame Punjabis, the world’s laughing at you! Yeah lol! =) Shame ShameRecommend
This is typical Pakistani mentality which is coming out from @Roflcopter..What wrong Pope has said?I feel like laughing on idiots who laugh at Pope.Recommend
Religious freedom is guaranteed by Islam. There is no worldly punishment for blasphemy or apostasy in Islam. The mullahs have got it wrong. Recommend
Mr. Pop – Plz keep pleasing ur Jew Brothers and Sisters
And
Leave alone Pakistan and Pakistanis including Mininster Shahbaz Bhatti.
I think we can take good care of our problems.Recommend
@Arsalana:
Would Pakistanis leave India alone if Minorities Minister of India(a Muslim) would be gunned down by Hindu extremists?Recommend
@arslana u r outdated pope has been sporting palestitian cause more than any other religion its a shame u guys believe in a religion which has nothing to do with islamRecommend
@Arsalana -it’s a wonder that you even recognize that Pakistan has a problem – it’s also apparent to the rest of the World that Pakistan is either incapable or unwilling to fix this problem. There is nothing wrong with a religious leader promoting freedom of religion – that fact that a Pakistani can’t appreciate that says something rather bad.Recommend
Yes Respected POP (XVI) …. Just leave us alone with our problems and loving extermers / mullas / terroristRecommend
@kamaal Pope is a joke, doesn’t matter if what he says is right or wrong.Recommend
@Saba Baloch:
Problem is all Pakistanis get the blame for that.Recommend
@Arsalana:
Really? He’s dead. Thank god we can take care of our problems. Imagine how much worst it would be if it were not so.Recommend
@M M Malik:
I think you should come out and speak loudly in public.
Commenting on an english portal does not get people listening since mostly dont understand it.Recommend
@Malik:
Problem is all Pakistanis get the blame for that.
I know we cant do a thing. The punjabis are the terrorists who go around doing their stupid terrorism, and the sindhism balochs, pashtoons just get tagged along with them.
I am sure you must be loving it right now, The world is laughing not just at you punjabis, but because you have been able to create this impression of the baloch, sindhi and pashtoon being there with you, in your stupid terrorist activities, you are not being singled out.
Well! Good luck, coz its gonna run out pretty soon.
Shame Shame Punjabis, the world is laughing at you!Recommend
Pope, the Holy See was and is correct when he showed his apprehension on Blasphemy law which was given some other color by our fundamental mentality simply to cash in vote banks from our 60% illiterate population. It is very unfortunate that these acts are mostly practiced in Muslim world. It is very strange and disturbing when one hears and reads that Islam is a religion of Peace but in practical it looks like Peace is removed and “Pieces” is being replaced. Iraq and Egypt are not behind where churches were bombed and people inside were burnt alive, why ?????Recommend
@Roflcopter – So Pope is a joke, huh? But if someone does not even utter one word against Prophet Mohammed but only against a draconian law made by humans, he is gunned down. Do you see the difference between how you treat other people’s religion and how you wish your religion to be treated? If you want respect, give respect. Pope is highly respected by christians as is Prophet Mohammed by Muslims. Recommend
When Pakistan UN envoy says to the UN that Mr. Bhatti’s death has nothing to do Blasphemy, what more can we expect of those who thinks that Pope is talking non sense?
Sad to see the responses that ignore the Pope’s message. Ignore the messenger but listen to the message.Recommend
@rehan
and why should Pakistan be interested if ( Hypothetically) a Muslim minister is gunned by Hindu extremists?
The biggest illusion that Pakistanis have is that they are the torch bearers of Muslims!! That they are the leaders of Islam!!
Sorry, in India we follow a much more saner and better version of Islam ( as does Indonesia and Malaysia) as compared to Jihadist-mullah-bomber version practised in Pakistan.
Concern from Islamic majority secular country like Indonesia would be far better received!Recommend
@M M Malik: But doesn’t Bukhari state “Whoever changes his religion, kill him”. Doesn’t sound like religious freedom to me Malik.Recommend
As Rehman Malik, our useless Interior Minister, said the other day: All terror outfits have their bases in Southern Punjab to which Shahbaz Sharif, the former badman of Punjab, reacted angrily. This is really true. Although these string of murders including those of Taseer and now Bhatti were committed by Punjabis in Punjab, others before them have been also conducted by Punjabi Taliban, a very dangerous manifestation of Wahabbi cult. It is rather unfortunate that Sharif brothers have shown no concern at all about this rising trend of terrorism export. It is noteworthy that the attack on Pakistan’s best known Sufi Mazar, Hazrat Data Gunj Baksh (RA) was also conducted by Punjabi Taliban in the name of purification of Islamic belief system. How sick is that. Similar suicide attacks across Pakistan on Sufi shrines / Mazars have originated from southern Punjab belt (also called Seraiki belt) but nothing is being done about it all. Govt. should come forward and declare enough is enough.
We need to recognize our own problems and forgot sake Pope uncle, please leave us alone!Recommend
So far the only way that Mullas have taken care of its problem is by killing, suicide bombing, burning and destroying others who do not share their views. You have demonstrated this well, not only killing Christian but also other minority muslim Your thirst for blood and intolerance have given other peaceful muslim a bad name and put Islam and its teaching to shame.
Mullas will not go to Hell because they are already living in one created by themselves for themselves. Great going Mullas.Recommend
Something is universal in religious scholars. For them, every killing is sort of sacrifice for religion. Recommend
I do not understand why the title of this article has the word ‘sacrifice’ within quotes.
Wasn’t the grandson of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) considered to have made a sacrifice, after he was murdered.
Mr. Bhatti has paid the supreme price for having raised his voice against a draconian law. It is insulting not to term it as a sacrifice.Recommend
In 2006, in one of his lecture, the Pope Benedict, quoted an unfavorable remark about Islam and Prophet (PBUH) infact insulting mischaracterization of Islam.
Mr.Pope, we know how badly the views of Mr.Hitler has effected you and your’s generation specially about islam. Mr.Pope the killing of 3000 people by Christian Nato forces (germany is included) in drones attackes in north of Pakistan is a much bigger issue of religious freedom, why dont you address it and condemn ??
recent killing of 9 childrens by bombing in agfhanistan is also a slap on civilised world by the christian Nato soldiers, did you know ??Recommend
Great! maybe the pope can do the same?Recommend
@M M Malik: Blasphemy is the last resort of the (wrong) beleivers of earlier Prophets knowing that a Muslim will not blasphem back any of the Prophet (bcz of the beleif i.e. All Prophets pbuh are the Prophets of GOD) when they can’t stop Islam’s wave winning hearts of the people of the World.
We know what pope means. Recommend
@ Abdullah
@ Arsalana
Pope or no pope we can’t expect them to know what is a Prophet and who is God how to respect them. Recommend
Our leader Mohammad Ali Jinnah made a promise to all people of Pakistan and I have never forgotten that promise for a single moment so do many of us. Sometime a cloud may appears but it will go away.
Whats happening in Pakistan lately is a test from God for both majority and minority that we human can try our best but we still our human whether we are in millions or we are few!
Tough time never lasts, but tough people do! We all have a responsibility towards our Creator to live like a human for his sake! And present the best part of us for God’s sake to our fellow countrymen. And for people from other countries, if my comments cannot better the situation than they must not bitter the same.
Thank you all! Recommend
@ Sana baloch
First fix things in Baluchistan first then talk about Punjab.
Baluchis prefer to live in Punjab because of the deteriorating law and order situation in Baluchistan.
Hindus are victimized in Baluchistan. Do you know that?
So who is laughing and at whom?
You should be glad that WOT is not extended to Baluchistan. Otherwise u know about Quetta shura or don’t you?
What about KP and FATA where WOT is going on? Punjabi fault again?Recommend
@Saba Baloch:
You should be ashamed of your racism if you have any shame left.Recommend
Pakistan has won their match with Zimbabwe. Live and let live. Relax now.Recommend