The Church in Pakistan mourns the loss of Bhutto
The Church in Pakistan mourns the loss of Bhutto
ICC Note: The assassination of Benazir Bhutto is bad news for Pakistani Christians, as Bhutto was one of the few moderate voices capable of leading the nation towards a more secular and less Islamo-centric government.
by Qaiser Felix
12/29/07 Lahore (AsiaNews) In a statement issued yesterday, Lahore Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha, President of Pakistan Bishops Conference expressed the Catholic Churches deep shock and grief over the assassination of Pakistans opposition leader and former premier Benazir Bhutto Benazir Bhutto, defined a courageous, liberal and progressive leader. He also strongly condemned the extremist elements that took her life, two days ago during a campaign rally in Rawalpindi .
We pray for her departed soul continues the statement – and offer our heartfelt condolences to her grieving family. May her soul rest in peace!.
She was a voice of the voiceless he said. She was immensely popular among the minority Christian community. We express the hope that her struggle for peace and justice, democracy and freedom for the common man may be continued by all like-minded people of Pakistan . Let us work together to relive her dream for a just and prosperous Pakistan .
Deep sorrow was also expressed by Benedict XVI, in a message sent to Msgr. Saldanha and addressed to Bhuttos family and the entire nation (see AsiaNews December 28).
In a separate statement on Dec. 28, the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), a human rights body of the Catholic Church in Pakistan has also condemned the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and workers of Pakistan Peoples Party at Rawalpindi , calling the tragic incident a national loss.