Slain Minorities Minister laid to rest amidst cries for justice in Pakistan

Slain Minorities Minister laid to rest amidst cries for justice in Pakistan

2011-03-05 03:35:37 GMT+7 (ICT)

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- The slain Minister for Minorities Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti on Friday was laid to rest in Faisalabad, Pakistan, the state-run APP news agency reported.

Bhatti was buried at an ancestral graveyard in the suburban area of Faisalabad city in Punjab province. On Wednesday, Bhatti was shot dead by gunmen in Islamabad, as he left the residence of his mother.

"Bhatti's death is a great loss to the nation, great loss to the party, great loss to the parliament and a great loss to our cabinet," said Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani.

The government has announced a three-day mourning on the assassination of Bhatti. A crowd of people gathered in Faisalabad to give the final farewell to the slain minister. It is estimated that around 10,000 people attended the funeral.

The multitude of grieving supporters called for justice amidst tears and sobs. The brothers of Bhatti, who returned return from Canada and Italy for the last rites, urged media to create public awareness about extremism and its negative socio-economic impact on the Asian country.

The Minorities Minister was assassinated months after recording a video in which he said he would rather die for his country than compromise. His car was intercepted by another vehicle and gunmen fired at him multiple times.

Bhatti was pronounced dead after he was rushed to Shifa Hospital. He was on his way to a meeting of the Federal cabinet with no security guards when he came under attack.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the assassination of Bhatti, calling it a "heinous act" but adding that the government would not bow to extremists and terrorists.

Internationally, the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, Cameron Munter, also condemned the murder. European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek said the assassination of Bhatti is "a personal tragedy, but also a terrible defeat for fundamental human rights, far beyond his own country."

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