Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lahore (Agenzia Fides) – The perpetrators of Shahbaz Bhatti's murder are unknown, but, highlights the Commission for Justice and Peace of the Pakistani Bishops, there are things about which we can be certain: “There are extremist groups who want to sow hatred and intolerance in society. We expect all institutions, the Government, judiciary, police forces, to work together to address this challenge: to counteract the forces which advocate extremism and violence, discrimination and death are those that believe in the law, peace, justice and freedom. How many good people have to die before the entire nation will rise up to meet this challenge?” Peter Jacob, executive secretary of the Commission for Justice and Peace, asks Fides, while investigations into Bhatti's assassination are experiencing complications.
The police are following up all trails and interrogating witnesses and suspects. One of these is Bhatti's driver, Sher Gul, who at the time of the attack threw himself out of the driver's seat and escaped completely unharmed. Investigators are seeking the cooperation of the Bhatti family to see if, in the days before the murder, there were any useful signs for the investigation. It has been ascertained that the Suzuki car used by commando terrorists was not stolen, and that it may have been parked near the scene of the crime. It also raises the possibility that Bhatti was killed out of “personal enmity” however Mr Jacob disqualifies this, calling it “deplorable propaganda.”
Sectors of civil society call for the creation of a special 'Judicial Commission of inquiry', but Jacob has doubts, remembering other commissions of the kind in the past - like the one created for the murder of Benazir Bhutto - did not yield the desired results. The Commission for Justice and Peace instead calls for “commitment and transparency by the investigators, to do justice to the memory of a man of dialogue and of faith, who gave his life to make Pakistan a better nation.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides 11/3/2011)
