Candlelight vigil: Shahbaz Bhatti remembered

Bhatti was killed by militants for calling for re-examination of controversial blasphemy laws.

ISLAMABAD: Relatives, friends and well-wishers gathered at a memorial site in sector I-8/3 to remember slain political leader Shahbaz Bhatti on the eve of his third death anniversary on Sunday. The memorial stands near the intersection where Bhatti was assassinated in 2011. Bhatti, who was the federal minister for religious minorities at the time, was killed by militants for calling for a re-examination of the controversial blasphemy laws. The brief remembrance ceremony started with prayers for Bhatti and his family. Participants praised Bhatti’s commitment to the cause of humanity and said his sacrifice would never be forgotten. They placed bouqets of flowers at the memorial and lit candles. PPP patron-in-chief Bilawal Bhutto also issued a statement from Karachi praising Bhatti’s courage and assured his party’s full support to Pakistan’s non-Muslims.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2014.