By Sheraz Khurram Khan
Special Correspondent for ASSIST News Service in Pakistan

PAKISTAN (ANS) – The All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) Chief, Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti, has called for international agencies to probe into the killing of Ms Bhutto.  

“The masked faces be unmasked and the truth be brought to light through investigation into the killing of Ms. Bhutto by international agencies. Her killing is the worst example of bloodshed. It is the blackest chapter in the history of Pakistan,” Shahbaz Bhatti told newsmen.

“Ms. Bhutto was courageous, brave and a revolutionary leader, who elevated Pakistan’s identity at international scale,” he said.

Benazir Bhutto, he maintained, emerged as an international icon of democracy and the voice of the oppressed, the deprived, and the marginalized sections of the society.

Paying tribute to the late Benazir, Mr. Shahbaz said that in her bid to transform Pakistan into modern, democratic, progressive and stable country, she laid unprecedented sacrifices and even sacrificed her life to save the country.

Mr. Shahbaz, who was dressed in black to mourn the killing of Ms. Bhutto, went on to say that the deceased struggled for the restoration of minorities’ rights as well as for the abolition of all forms of discrimination.

Highlighting Ms. Bhutto’s concern for Pakistani minorities he said: “Bhutto was supportive of minorities’ rights. She was a glimmer of hope for the people of Pakistan including minorities.”

He told newsmen that the PPP and the APMA enjoyed a strong ideological bonding. He claimed the Pakistan People’s Party had always backed the APMA in its struggle for minorities’ rights. “Pakistani minorities feel they have been left alone in the struggle for their rights following Ms. Bhutto’s killing,” he said.

He emphasized that the APMA would carry on Ms. Bhutto’s mission which, he said, included transition to democracy, restoration of judiciary, ensuring equal rights for the oppressed and the deprived sections of society and her vision of transforming Pakistan into a progressive and democratic country.

In line with the 40 days of mourning the APMA had announced earlier following killing of Ms. Bhutto, he said the APMA would observe January 6 as “Prayer Day.”

To pay tribute to Ms. Bhutto’s sacrifices and her democratic struggle, the APMA would conduct condolence references and ceremonies at national, provincial and district level, he declared.

The APMA will confer an annual award in memory of Ms. Bhutto upon the workers and leaders, who are working for the cause of democracy and human rights in Pakistan, he announced.

He said that Benazir’s killing could have been averted if an investigation into October 18 incident had exposed the perpetrators of attack on the late Benazir’s welcome-home-rally.

When a questioner asked him to comment on the government’s decision to delay polls, he said the government would have done well if it had conducted the polls on Jan 8, the original date for Pakistan parliamentary polls.

If they (elections) were held on January 8, it would have provided the people of Pakistan an opportunity to vent their outrage on Ms. Bhutto’s killing by voting for the PPP. Pakistan Electoral Commission has set Feb. 18 the new date for the parliamentary polls.

Following Ms. Bhutto’s assassination Pakistan was gripped with violence and unrest. Angry Bhutto lovers torched some 11 offices of electoral commission across province Sindh of Pakistan.

When a journalist asked him what had been minorities’ reservations during the last five years, Mr. Shahbaz said there had been no legislation in favour of minorities. He said legislators’ seats were raised ahead of 2002 elections but the number of minorities’ seats stood the same.

Pointing to the long-standing demand of Pakistani minorities regarding representation in the Senate, the upper house of Pakistan parliament, he asked why Pakistani minorities have been denied representation in Senate when allocation of seats in the house have been made for women and technocrats.

“Our churches have been attacked and our people have been kidnapped in the past,” he said.

When ANS asked him if Pakistan president’s much-touted concept of enlightened moderation had done the country or minorities any good, he said he could not see any enlightened moderation in the country. He blamed rising extremism and violence on President Musharraf’s policies.