International Christian Concern | Dec. 3, 2018
Pope Francis paid tribute to the legacy of Shahbaz Bhatti on November 30 while speaking to members of the Shahbaz Bhatti Mission Association. Bhatti, a Pakistani Christian, served as Pakistan’s Minority Affairs Minister from 2008 until he was assassinated in March 2011 by religious extremists in Islamabad.
In paying tribute to Bhatti’s legacy, the pope said, “One of the fruits of the sufferings of Christians is the multiplication of groups and associations — like yours — that build bridges of fraternity throughout the world, overcoming differences in language, culture and sometimes even religion.”
In Pakistan, Bhatti continues to be remembered as a fierce leader of the country’s small and persecuted Christian minority.