SELF-DESCRIBED TALIBAN gunmen yesterday shot dead Pakistan’s minorities minister, Shahbaz Bhatti, an advocate of reform of the country’s blasphemy laws, just after he left his Islamabad home.
Two assassins sprayed the Christian minister’s car with gunfire, striking him at least eight times, before scattering pamphlets that described him as a “Christian infidel”. The leaflets were signed “Taliban al-Qaida Punjab”.
Mr Bhatti’s 22-year-old niece Mariam was first on the scene. “I rushed out to find his body covered with blood. I said “Uncle, uncle,” and tried to take his pulse, but he was already dead,” she said at his house, extending a bloodstained palm.
The sound of wailing women rose from the next room.
Mr Bhatti’s assassination was the second killing of a politician in Islamabad over blasphemy in as many months, following the assassination of Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer outside a cafe a few kilometres away on January 4th.
Dismayed human rights activists said it was another sign of rising intolerance at the hands of violent extremists. “I am sad and upset, but not surprised,” said the veteran campaigner Tahira Abdullah outside Mr Bhatti’s house. “These people have a long list of targets, and we are all on it. It’s not a matter of if, but when.”
The only Christian in Pakistan’s cabinet, Mr Bhatti had predicted his own death. In a farewell statement recorded four months ago, to be broadcast in the event of his death, he spoke of threats from the Taliban and al-Qaida.
He vowed not to stop speaking for marginalised Christians and other minorities. “I will die to defend their rights,” he said on the tape, released to the BBC and al-Jazeera. “These threats and these warnings cannot change my opinions and principles.”
Lax security did not help Mr Bhatti when his killers came. Witnesses and police said he was travelling with just his driver when attacked less than 50 metres from the Islamabad home he shared with his mother.
A small white car carrying gunmen blocked his way. After an initial burst of fire they dragged Mr Bhatti’s driver from the vehicle, then continued firing through a side window. “It lasted about 20 seconds,” said a neighbour, Naseem Javed. “When I rushed out I saw the minister’s driver standing by the car, shivering, and his niece weeping and shouting.” “They fired 25 bullets,” said a police officer beside a bullet-pocked pavement, holding brass Kalashnikov bullet cases.
As they left, the gunmen flung pamphlets onto the road blaming President Asif Ali Zardari’s government for putting an “infidel Christian” in charge of a committee to review blasphemy laws. The government insists no such committee exists.
“With the blessing of Allah, the mujahideen will send each of you to hell,” said the pamphlets.
Last November, Mr Bhatti joined Salmaan Taseer in championing the case of Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman who was sentenced to death last November for allegedly committing blasphemy against the prophet Muhammad.
“This law is being misused,” Mr Bhatti told Open magazine at the time. “Many people are facing death threats and problems. They’re in prison and are being killed extra-judicially.” The government later distanced itself from the blasphemy reformists, repeatedly stressing it had no intention of amending the law, leaving Mr Bhatti and Mr Taseer politically isolated. Now that both are dead, angry supporters say the government bears some responsibility for not protecting them politically, if not physically.
“The government distanced itself from anyone who took a stand on blasphemy. I blame them for being such chickens,” said Ms Abdullah.
Ali Dayan Hasan of Human Rights Watch said Mr Bhatti’s death represented “the bitter fruit of appeasement of extremist and militant groups both prior to and after the killing of Salmaan Taseer”.
The embattled Christian community voiced concerns about its safety. “We feel very insecure,” said Mr Bhatti’s brother-in-law, Yousaf Nishan. “In this society you can’t open your mouth, even if you want to say something good, because you’re afraid who you might offend.” – (Guardian service)