"Martyrdom in Pakistan"

George Weigel on Mohammad Ali Jinnah' s legacy & Shabazz Bhatti's violent death.

As Weigel explains it, Mohammad Ali Jinnah was: "the leader of the Muslim League, a Scotch - drinking, pork - eating and rather secular lawyer. Jinnah's iron will created Pakistan out of several Muslim - dominated provinces in the Raj..."


Snippet from his article in Today's Catholic. Friday, September 9, 2011.

"Sixty - four years ago, on August 14, 1947, Great Britain's empire in the Indian subcontinent was divided into the independent, self - governing Dominions of India and Pakistan.

"A lot of the history of the last six and a half decades has at least something to do with the failure of British intelligence to figure out that Mohammad Ali Jinnah was a man whose time was running out just as the British Empire was preparing to divide its crown jewel at Jinnah's insistence -- including the personal history if Shabazz Bhatti, who was born a generation after Jinnah's will created Pakistan.

"The 42 - year - old Bhatti, a Catholic and Pakistan's federal minster for religious minorities, was murdered -- or to be more precise, martyred -- this past March 2 while being driven to work.

"His murderer left a note in which he explained that Bhatti had to die because he opposed Pakistan's blasphemy law, a crude attempt to [impose] a form of Islamic sharia on the country.

"Shabazz knew that his life was in danger.

"Some weeks before his death, he said My struggle will continue, despite the difficulties and threats I have received. I am prepared for any sacrifice for this mission which I carry out with the spirit of a servant of God...

"[I]f, as I am confident, the church will one day celebrate the feast of Blessed Shabaz Bhatti, martyr, this good and brave man's confession of faith to Al - Jazeera -- I know the meaning of the Cross and I am following the Cross -- would make an exemplary second reading in the Office and Readings ..."

You bet it will, amigo George Weigel! :)