Christians protest against Qurans desecration

LAHORE The Christian community organised a memorial ceremony for their slain leader and former minister for minority affairs Shahbaz Bhatti at Cathedral Church, The Mall on Sunday. A large number of Christians from different walks of life attended the ceremony wherein a special prayer was offered for eternal peace of the late minister. While sharing their views on the occasion, the speakers including Dr Kanwal Feroz, member Punjab Assembly Najmi Saleem, Pastor Shahid Meraj, Dr George and others paid rich tribute to Shahbaz Bhatti, saying he did a lot for the betterment of the Pakistani Christian community and also for the county. They said his mission must be taken up by struggling to achieve equal citizen rights. They further said the slain minister wanted to abolish all discriminatory laws and now it was our responsibility to continue it. He worked very hard to portray the soft image of Pakistan, they added. The speakers were of the view that Bhatti wanted to make the country according to Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnahs vision where no one could be exploited in the name of religion or ethnicity. His death is not only for Christians but also for all the depressed masses, they said and added that Many time he was offered to go abroad as he was facing death threats, but he preferred to live here and service own people. On the occasion, All Pakistan Minorities Alliance also announced that a condolence rally in honour of Shahbaz Bhatti would be taken out from Nasir Bhagh to Punjab Assembly on April 3.