THREE DAYS MOURNING

MULTAN,March 3rd:All educational institutions, catholic institutions remained closed on Thursday as a protest against the assassination of Minorities Affairs Minister, Shahbaz Bhatti in all the dioceses on the first day of mourning at the call of Bishop Andrew Francis, chairman of the National Commission for Inter Religious Dialogue and Ecumenism, as well as the Bishop of Multan,who strongly condemned as “brutal barbarism” the “senseless assassination” of Minorities Affairs Minister, Shahbaz Bhatti, by extremists Bishop Dr.Andrew Francis said," I have announced a three-day mourning period during which all Christian institutions, such as schools, etc, would be closed in protest in all the dioceses," In an appeal to bishops around the world, Bishop Andrew said, “With deep sorrow we would like inform you that Minority Affairs Minister, Mr Shahbaz Bhatti, a beacon of hope in Pakistan and a true Pakistani, has been brutally murdered by extremists in Islamabad today. In this regard I would like to request bishops around the world to kindly close all Catholic institutions tomorrow in their respective dioceses to protest and mourn Mr Bhatti’s death. He was promoting peace and interfaith harmony in Pakistan and it is our duty not to let this cause die.”He said that former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer had been killed by religious extremists as well and the minorities minister had been murdered for promoting interfaith peace in Pakistan and working for the rights of religious groups. The bishop said that Bhatti’s work for human and minority rights was well known and he was a strong and courageous person who believed in the rights and dignity of all religious communities living in Pakistan.