FAISALABAD: Slain Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti was laid to rest at his ancestral graveyard in a suburban village on Friday evening, amidst tears and sobs from a multitude of grieving supporters.
The body of late Shahbaz Bhatti, who fell to the terrorists' bullets in Islamabad on Wednesday, was flown to his native village, Chak No. 51-GB, Khushpur, in Sammundri Tehsil, on board a helicopter from the Federal Capital.
Final rites were performed at the ground of the St. Dominic Girls High School, in front of the St. Feild's Church. Leading the funeral prayers was Bishop of Lahore Dr. Alexander Jan Malik, who was accompanied by Bishop Samuel Azraya, Bishop Jan Samuel, Bishop Joseph Coutts, Bishop Andrew Frances, Father Khalid Rasheed Asi, Father Andrew Nasara, Father Parvez Emanuel, Father Anjum Nazeer, Bishop Robin Anthony and Bishop Laurence.
Present among the large number of sympathisers were Governor Punjab Sardar Muhammad Lateef Khosa, Central General Secretary PPP Jahangir Badar, former Senior Minister Punjab Raja Riaz Ahmad, former Textile Minister Rana Saeed Khan, members of the National Assembly, members of the provincial assemblies, Christian leaders Aslam Pervez Sahotra, former advisor to chief minister of Punjab, Peter Gill, leaders of All Pakistan Minorities Alliance Sardar Kalyan Singh, Raam Singh, Saroop Singh, Ranjeet Singh, Gabriel Mikhail
According to a rough estimate more than 10,000 mourners attended the funeral. Among them were the members of the bereaved family, including brothers of the deceased--Sikandar Bhatti, Jerald Bhatti, Peter Bhatti and Naveed Bhatti, priests, pastors and fathers of different churches.
After funeral rites, the body was buried along side the grave of his father Jacob Bhatti.
Two brothers of the assassinated minister Shahbaz Bhatti, who are settled in Italy and Canada, reached their native village to attend the funeral of their brother Shahbaz Bhatti.
They have urged the media to play its role in creating public awareness about extremism and its negative socio-economic impact on the country. They were of the view that the threat of terrorism could only be faced through collective efforts.
Shahbaz Bhatti was shot dead by unknown assailants when he was coming out from a house in Sector I-8/3, Islamabad.
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