Vatican Condemns Killing of Christian 

Official in Pakistan

By ELISABETTA POVOLEDO

Published: March 2, 2011

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ROME — The Vatican swiftly condemned the killing of Pakistan’s only Christian government minister on Wednesday.

In a statement, Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said the murder of the minister, Shabbaz Batthi, was a “terribly grave new act of violence” that “demonstrates that the Pope’s insistent addresses regarding violence against Christians and religious freedom have been justified.”

Mr. Bhatti was shot by assailants as he left his home in the capital Wednesday morning. The attack appeared to be connected to Mr. Bhatti’s support for changes to Pakistan’s blasphemy law.

The circumstances of his killing resembled the murder of Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab who was gunned down Jan. 4 and who had also campaigned to reform the law, which calls for the death penalty for those accused of speaking against the Prophet Muhammad.

“Batthi was the first Catholic to hold this post,” Mr. Lombardi said. “He had been received by the Holy Father last September where he had affirmed his commitment for the pacific cohabitation between the religious communities of his country.

“To the prayer for the victim, the condemnations for this dishonorable act of violence, to our closeness to Christian Pakistanis so beset by hatred,” the Vatican spokesman said, is added an “appeal so that all may acknowledge the dramatic urgency to defend religious freedom and Christians who are the object of violence and persecution.”
(the newyork times)
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