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Islamabad: Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)
has welcomed the appointment of Shahbaz Bhatti as
Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs, and
the decision to make him a member of the cabinet.
Bhatti,
a prominent Christian human rights activist and founder
and President of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance,
has been one of the most active campaigners for the
repeal of the country’s blasphemy laws and equal rights
for all religious minorities. He was elected as a Member
of the National Assembly earlier last year, and
appointed to the Cabinet as Federal Minister for
Minorities Affairs in November. It is the first time the
Minister for Minorities Affairs has been a cabinet-level
post.
“We
have known and worked with Shahbaz for many years, and
we know him to be an outstanding individual, a person of
immense courage and commitment,” said CSW Chief
Executive Mervyn Thomas. “We hope that the whole
government of Pakistan will support Shahbaz in his new
position, and that significant progress will be made
towards the protection of equal rights for all the
people of Pakistan.”
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