Brother of murdered Pakistani Christian leader addresses Parliament

Brother of Shahbaz Bhatti addresses Parliament

Source: Aid to the Church in Need

The brother of murdered religious freedom advocate Shahbaz Bhatti has told UK Parliamentarians that, since his assassination, the growing influence of extremists in Pakistan has created a climate of fear preventing religious minorities from defending their rights.

Peter Bhatti called for a UK Parliamentary inquiry led either by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee or the Joint Committee on Human Rights into the treatment of religious minorities around the world and for a Government response.

Mr Bhatti was speaking yesterday (Tuesday) at the launch of Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report into Christians oppressed for their Faith, produced by Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (UK).

Giving the keynote speech, Mr Bhatti gave a powerful testimony about the legacy of his brother, who was shot dead in 2011 while serving as Pakistan's federal minister for minorities, which capped a life-time's struggle on behalf of persecuted faith groups notably his outspoken criticism of the country's controversial blasphemy law.

Describing increasing threats faced by religious minorities since the killing of his brother, who served as Pakistan's federal minister for minorities, Mr Bhatti said: "In the years since [Shahbaz Bhatti's] martyrdom, many human rights and religious freedom advocates have fallen silent out of fear that extremists might target them.

"As a result, religious minorities have continued to face persecution, including the misuse of blasphemy laws, abductions, forced conversion and forced marriages. The situation of religious minorities continues to go from bad to worse."

He went on to praise ACN for the report, stating: "We urgently need to raise awareness of the reality of persecution of Christians and other religious minorities around the world today."

In addition to calling for the parliamentary inquiry into the treatment of faith minorities, he publicly endorsed the ACN global petition campaign calling for the fulling enforcement of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which enshrines the fundamental right to freedom of religion or belief.

He called on the UK to work together with the EU, Canada, the US and other lead nations to raise awareness of persecuted religious minorities in Pakistan and around the world and develop a common strategy to combat oppression of faith minorities.

Also speaking at the launch of ACN's Persecuted and Forgotten? Report editor Dr John Newton said: "Religion forms a matrix of different factors including ethnicity, gender and social status that make individuals highly vulnerable to persecution, but the lack of religious literacy in the West means anti-Christian animus is often downplayed or even omitted in favour of others factors [when these cases are looked at].

"I hope this report will inspire us to speak out for those who cannot, to stand with those who endure persecution."

The report launch comes ahead of next month's #RedWednesday, the climax of ACN's campaign to raise awareness of and provide aid for persecuted Christians around the world.

To view the Persecuted and Forgotten? 2024-26 report, or to order physical copies, visit: www.acnuk.org/pf26

Aid to the Church in Need: https://acnuk.org