Minister's murder drags Pakistan into crisis
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The Wednesday's alarming and tragic assassination of a Pakistan minister in Islamabad has dragged the country into a deep crisis as it raised questions about the security lapse and also ability of the militants to strike in daylight even in the capital.
Pakistani Taliban were quick to claim responsibility for the assassination of Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti in a leaflet found at the attack site in Islamabad. The gunmen fled in their car after the well-organized attack and the police had no clues hours after the incident.
It is the second high profile assassination in the Pakistani capital in less than three months and both are related to the country's blasphemy law, which carries death penalty for those who are found guilty of insulting Islam and its Prophets.
In January, the governor of Pakistan's populous Punjab province Salman Taseer who had spoken out against the blasphemy laws was shot dead in Islamabad by one of his guards. The guard later told the police he had shot the governor dead as he had opposed the law. Taseer had sought presidential pardon for the 45-year-old Christian lady Asia Bibi, who has been handed down death penalty for her alleged remarks against Islam.
Also in September 2009, the then Pakistani Minister for Religious Affairs, Hamid Saeed Kaqzmi, was seriously injured in firing attack near his office in Islamabad. His guard and driver were killed in the attack. Taliban militants were believed to be behind the attack.
The note found at Bhatti's assassination site said that the minister had been shot dead as he was heading a committee to propose amendment in the Blasphemy Law.
The blasphemy law was introduced during the military rule of General Mohammad Zia ul-Haq in the 1980s.
Religious minorities in Pakistan complain that some elements misuse the law to wrongly implicate minorities and sometimes Muslims are also charged. Slain Bhatti had admitted in media interview he had been threatened with beheading, but he would not be intimidated. Rights groups also believe the law is dangerously discriminatory against the country's tiny minority groups.
Under the blasphemy law, anyone who speaks ill of Islam and the Prophet Mohammad commits a crime and faces the death penalty, but activists say the vague terminology has led to its misuse. Christians who make up about two percent of Pakistan's population have been especially concerned about the law saying it offers them no protection.
Blasphemy convictions are common although the death sentence has never been carried out. Most convictions are thrown out on appeal, but angry mobs have killed many people accused of blasphemy.
Bhatti's assassination came at a sensitive time when the government of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of President Asif Ali Zardari is facing political crisis after the PPP ministers were thrown out of the government cabinet in Punjab province. The province is ruled by the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Sharif has also threatened an anti-government long-march in Islamabad.
The government is now also facing strong criticism even from its allies for its recent 10 percent hike in oil prices. A powerful government's ally, the Mutahida Qaumi Movement or MQM, has given the government a three-day time to withdraw decision of hike in petroleum products. Another coalition partner, the Awami National Party (ANP), also joined opposition groups to walkout of the parliament against the oil price increase on Tuesday. The government says hike in oil prices is inevitable as the prices soured on the international market.
Militancy, insecurity, souring prices and political rift have dragged the government into crisis and it seems difficult for it to deal with the situation alone. Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani appealed to the nation to unite against the extremist elements after the murder of the minister.
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