THE assassination of Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti by terrorists followed the brutal killing of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer a couple of months ago. It is a blemish on the national soul and cannot be washed away by empty rhetoric and muted condemnations by political and religious leadership.

We do not honour the Prophet (PBUH) by murdering the innocent in his name. Our political leaders are more interested in maintaining their power and control over the country’s wealth rather than work for the betterment of their country. The few who dare to stand up to this injustice find themselves isolated and without support.

The indifference of the ruling elite, both political and feudal, and tyrannical pseudo-religious extremists seems to have paralysed this nation into a pathological resignation to their fate.

In spite of these challenges, I am confident having observed firsthand the courage, resilience and moral strength of the NGOs, the selfless philanthropy of the affluent and the development and growth of civil society, that Pakistanis will rise and defend their nation. They must, however, break the chains of fear that is choking their conscience and stand up for justice. Pakistan should realise the vision of its founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah by which all Pakistanis are granted freedom and security to practise their religion and maintain their places of worship and where all Pakistanis thrive together as equals under the law, regardless of ethnicity, gender and religion.

SHAHINA SIDDIQUI Canada

‘The death of hope?’ THIS is apropos of your editorial (March 4) on Federal Minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti’s assassination in the federal capital.

I appreciate your courageous stance. Apathy, or one may call it cowardice, of the government, the PPP and all others on both sides of the divide is regrettable. It appeared as if all of them had surrendered in the face of religious extremists.

They were found hesitant, in fact reluctant, about openly condemning the cold-blooded murder of a federal minister — this out of fear of retaliation or reprisal by the killers.

You have very rightly noticed that the leadership of almost all political parties only awkwardly broached the topic of his murder, seemingly hesitant to openly condemn it.

Isn’t it an irony as well as a matter of shame that Mr Bhatti’s own party, which has now lost its second leader (SalmaanTaseer being the first) in less than two months over the so-called blasphemy law controversy, was relatively muted in its comments?

Of course, fear ruled the roost.

If government leaders with everything at their command and disposal are afraid of religious extremists, how can a common man feel secure and protected.

Today the man-made blasphemy laws can’t even be discussed. Tomorrow, what is permissible on television or radio may be challenged. The day after, what women are allowed to wear and do with their lives will be questioned and then dictated at gunpoint.

If things go as such, Pakistan may become unrecognisable to its own citizens sooner than many think is possible.

Import of bullet-proof cars, each costing millions of rupees, and installation of cameras on every nook and cranny are not going to protect the 170 million people of Pakistan.

Those at the helm of affairs must know that they would have to catch the bull by the horn.

BUSHRA SIDDIQUI Islamabad