News
Security tight for funeral of Bhatti
ISLAMABAD: Authorities shut down streets and police marksmen stood guard around Islamabad's main church Friday ahead of the funeral mass of minister Shahbaz Bhatti, shot dead by unknown assailants.Police and paramilitary forces prevented vehicles from approaching the Fatima Church ahead of the ceremony for the minority affairs minister, a Roman Catholic who was shot dead in broad daylight on Wednesday.
Armed officers took up positions on the rooftops of nearby buildings ahead of the mass, which was due to start at around 11:00 am. Bhatti was to be laid to rest in his hometown in Faisalabad later Friday.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who announced three days of national mourning, was expected to attend the service.
Father Rehmat Hakim, the custodian of the church, said he had been informed that Gilani would be in attendance.
He would be buried at his ancestral town Khush Pur, tehsil Samundary today. The corpse of Shahbaz Bhatti is being kept in PIMS mortuary and it would be flown through helicopter to the burial site.
After return of the two brothers of Shahbaz Bhatti from Italy and Canada, Shahbaz Bhatti would be buried.
Courtesy www.geo.tv