Federal Minister for Minorities Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- Pakistan Parliament on Monday condemned killings of Christians in Gojra on August 1 after Pakistan Federal Minister for Minorities, Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti presented a resolution urging parliament to condemn violence against Christians.

Pakistan Parliament unanimously passed Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti’s resolution to condemn Christians’ killings in Gojra.

In the national assembly session held on Monday, the Federal Minister for Minorities Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti appealed to the Speaker for initiation of debate in the house over Gojra incident.

As the Speaker allowed discussion over the issue, speeches were made in the parliament by various political leaders representing different political parties who showed their concern for families of victims and condemned the attack on Christians of Gojra.

The speakers extended their sympathies to the victims’ families and called for strong action against culprits.

The resolution urged the Pakistan Parliament to condemn the attack of burning of houses of Christians at Korian and Gojra and extend people’s sympathy and solidarity with the victims’ families.

The parliament demanded that the culprits should be awarded exemplary punishments according to the law and victims families rehabilitated.

The Pakistan Parliament pledged that the rights of minorities will be protected according to the vision of founding father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and constitutional guarantees given by 1973 constitution.

The Federal Minister, Shahbaz Bhatti made a speech in the parliament on the issue of August 1 violence against Christians.

“Minorities are sons of soil. Their forefathers made a sacrifice for development of Pakistan and minorities have been playing a significant role in prosperity, development and integrity of the country.

“The decisive vote of minorities in partition of Punjab contributed towards creation of Pakistan.

“The leadership of Pakistan studied in Christian educational institutions. Christian hospitals have been playing a vital role in serving suffering humanity.

“Considering minorities as their easy and soft targets extremist elements are targeting them. Minorities always struggled for peace and no minority member has ever been involved in any act of terrorism and violence instead they become a victim of terrorism and violence.

“The incident of Gojra has hampered efforts to promote interfaith harmony and national unity and has tarnished the image of country abroad”

. The Federal Minister said that the rumour of desecration of Quran, Muslim holy book, has been unnecessarily blown out of proportion.

He said Police investigated blasphemy accusations for three days but they could not find any witness to alleged blasphemy.

Mr. Bhatti said that Gojra carnage is a result of criminal negligence of the police. Pakistan blasphemy laws, he said are being widely abused.

“The crime of committing blasphemy has not been proven even against a single Pakistani Christian”, said Mr. Bhatti.

He maintained that the blasphemy laws have dealt a huge blow to religious tolerance.

He called for a change of mindsets of people.

Mr. Bhatti was of the view that the religion and politics should be separated as it would avoid a clash between them.

The Federal Minister appealed all political parties and Islamic leaders to condemn this heinous act of violence against Christians and stand with Christians in their pursuit of justice.

The Parliament observed two minutes silence for victims of Gojra bloodbath on request of Federal Minster for Minorities Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti.

ANS has learnt that some 200 people have been arrested in connection with August 1 violence against Christians. Some missionary schools have also announced closure for three days.

Dan Wooding, 68, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma of 46 years. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS); and US Bureau Chief for the Missionaries News Service (www.missionariesnews.tv) and Safe Worlds IPTV’s Faith, Hope and Charity channel. He was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC., and now hosts the weekly "Front Page Radio" show on KWVE in Southern California and which is also carried on the Calvary Radio Network throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on UCB UK and Calvary Chapel Radio UK. Wooding is the author of some 42 books, the latest of which is his autobiography, "From Tabloid to Truth", which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, go to www.fromtabloidtotruth.com. E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com.