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| | GEO Pakistan | Minorities Minister assassinated; TTP claims responsibility | Updated at: 1918 PST, Wednesday, March 02, 2011
 ISLAMABAD: Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs and head of All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, was shot dead by armed assailants in Islamabad soon after he left his mother's house in his car to attend the Federal Cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning, Geo News reported.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Punjab has claimed responsibility of the assassination.
The Federal Minister for Minorities left his home in Sector I-8 and went to his mother's house to pay her a visit. It was the minister's practice not to be escorted by his security when traveling to see his mother who, like her son, had no idea that it would be their last meeting.
As Shahbaz Bhatti left his mother's home in his car and was headed to attend the Federal Cabinet meeting, he did not know that death awaited him near I-8 Markaz Chowk. Armed men riding a white Mehran intercepted his car near this Chowk, and after identifying the Minister they opened fire with sophisticated guns and fled from the scene.
The seriously wounded Minister was rushed to Al-Shifa hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Later, Tehreek-e-Taliban Punjab accepted responsibility of the assassination.
The driver of Shahbaz Bhatti said that the police security squad was not escorting the Minister's car at the time when the attackers struck. He said the Minister's security was waiting for him at his office.
He also said that the gunmen only attacked the Minorities Minister.
According to sources, threats were being issued to Shahbaz Bhatti for quite some time and, in view of this, he had also demanded bullet-proof vehicle and government residence in the Minister's Enclave but all in vain.
Meanwhile, police authorities have said that the Minister himself had refused provision of security squad.
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani visited the local Al-Shifa hospital and ordered inquiry into the incident and said such acts would not deter the government's resolve to fight terrorism and extremism.
He expressed deep sorrow and grief over the murder of Shahbaz Bhatti and prayed to Allah Almighty to bless the departed soul and grant courage to his family to bear this loss.
President Asif Ali Zardari also condemned the incident in strongest terms besides members of the Federal Cabinet and representatives of political and religious parties. | |  | |
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