Pakistan to bury murdered
Minister Shahbaz Bhatti
The funeral is being held amid tight security in Pakistan of murdered minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti. Mr Bhatti, a Christian, was shot dead on Wednesday by the Taliban after urging reform to blasphemy laws. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani led mourners in Islamabad, describing his colleague as a "very rare" person. Mr Bhatti's body was then flown to Faisalabad in Punjab for burial in his native village nearby. Hundreds of mourners are paying their respects.Wednesday's assassination in Islamabad was the second this year of a Pakistani politician who wanted to reform the controversial blasphemy laws.
In January, Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who had also opposed the law, was shot dead by one of his bodyguards in the capital. The blasphemy law carries a death sentence for anyone who insults Islam. Critics say it has been used to persecute minority faiths. Stringent security precautions are in place for the funeral.Roads were closed and police and paramilitary forces deployed around Fatima Church in the capital for the service for Mr. Bhatti, 42, who was a Roman Catholic.
Prof. John Kurakar
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