In memoriam: NA body proposes monument for Bhatti

NA standing committee on minorities’ affairs proposes construction of ‘interfaith harmony monument’ at murder...

ISLAMABAD:

To pay respects to the slain minorities affairs minister Shahbaz Bhatti, the National Assembly standing committee on minorities’ affairs on Saturday proposed the construction of an ‘interfaith harmony monument’ at the murder site.

The meeting was held at the parliament house, where the committee adopted a resolution condemning the minister’s murder, with minority lawmaker Mahesh Kumar Mallani in the chair.

The parliamentarians demanded strict action against the plotters and perpetrators of Bhatti’s assassination.

“Recognising the innumerable contributions and sacrifices of the Christian community for Pakistan, especially their commitment to education, health and social justice, we, the members of the standing committee on minorities’ affairs, condemn the cold-blooded murder of the minister,” said the resolution, passed by the committee.

The committee expressed its deepest sympathies with the family of the late Bhatti in particular and to the Christian community in general. The resolution said that the political parties, media, civil society and all institutions of the state should join hands to exclude and reject the dark forces of obscurantism in our midst that threaten Pakistan.

The committee paid tribute to the late minister terming him a true patriot, who stood by Quaid-e-Azam’s vision of a tolerant nation where communities belonging to different faiths freely practice their religion.

Members of the committee urged the government to conduct a judicial inquiry into the incident, expose the murderers and give them exemplary punishment.

The panel also recommended that Shahbaz Bhatti be conferred with the highest award of courage and peace in the country and called for the formation of an interfaith commission dedicated to his vision and commitment for an ongoing interfaith dialogue.

The committee also urged the government to take immediate steps to protect minorities and to form a commission to examine all policies that discriminate against them.

The standing committee was briefed by the officials of the ministry of minorities’ affairs on the scholarships awarded to students from minority communities during the year 2009-10.

Giving a break-up for each province, the committee was informed that out of thousands of applications by minority students, 5,705 were found eligible.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2011.