United Nations:
UN has appealed to Pakistan to put a moratorium on the use of controversial blasphemy law as it condemned the killing of the nation's only Christian cabinet minister Shahbaz Bhatti, saying extremism is "poisoning" the society there.
Pakistan's Minority Affairs Minister Bhatti, a vocal critic of blasphemy law, was shot dead yesterday by Taliban militants in Islamabad, just two months after Punjab Governor Salman Taseer was gunned down for opposing the harsh act.
"I urge the Government of Pakistan to honour the courageous stand of Mr Bhatti and Mr Taseer by supporting their position on the blasphemy laws," Navi Pillay, UN human rights chief, said. "To do otherwise will simply encourage similar acts of violence and lawlessness as a means of scaring governments off from making much needed human rights reforms. Murderers should not be rewarded by getting what they want, in terms of government policy," she said.
The UN strongly condemned the killing of Bhatti. "The Secretary-General strongly condemns today's tragic assassination," a statement from her spokesperson's office said. "This follows the recent assassination of the Governor of Punjab, Mr Salman Taseer, which the Secretary-General also strongly condemned." Pillay called on the government to hold the killers accountable and control "extremism which is poisoning Pakistani society."
"These murders are a tragedy for Pakistan and those who envision a future for the country centred on human rights," she said.
Pillay noted these killings were symptomatic of pervasive violence against religious minorities in Pakistan, and said she was appalled that a number of politicians, religious leaders, lawyers and media pundits in the country had condoned or welcomed Taseer's killing.