1. a) Define blasphemy.
b) Describe Pakistan's blasphemy laws. (see "Background" below the questions and para. 16)

2. Why weren't Mr. Bhatti's bodyguards with him when he was murdered?

3. Why was Mr. Bhatti murdered? Be specific.

4. How is the Pakistani government in general responding to the murders of government officials who oppose Pakistan's blasphemy laws?

5. USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission. USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and the leadership of both political parties in the Senate and the House of Representatives. USCIRF's principal responsibilities are to review the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom internationally and to make policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress. (from uscirf.gov)
Re-read comments by Nina Shea and Leonard Leo of USCIRF from para. 8-10 and 20-21. What assessment do they make of the situation regarding Pakistan's blasphemy laws?

6. Who does Lisa Curtis of the Heritage Foundation blame for the Pakistani government's response to the murders?

7. Based on his own words/actions, what type of person do you think Mr. Bhatti was? Read the "Background" below the questions, and watch the video under "Resources." Also consider the following:

--Mr. Bhatti said during a recent trip to Canada: "I have been told by pro-Taliban religious extremists that if I will continue to speak against the blasphemy law, I will be beheaded." But he said his faith gave him strength. "As a Christian, I believe Jesus is my strength. He has given me a power and wisdom and motivation to serve suffering humanity. I follow the principles of my conscience, and I am ready to die and sacrifice my life for the principles I believe," he said.

--Nina Shea, commissioner at USCIRF wrote about Mr. Bhatti's murder:

"I had the privilege of knowing and working with Shahbaz Bhatti. In September 2009, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom invited him to Washington so that chairman Leonard Leo could present to him the commission's first religious freedom medallion. At that time, Bhatti vowed again to reform the blasphemy law. [He said]: "They are using this law to victimize minorities as well as Muslims of Pakistan. This law is creating disharmony and intolerance in our society."

Death threats were a constant in Bhatti's life for many years. He once told me that he had never married because he did not think it would be fair to a wife and children to subject them to this concern. His work was his life: At the end of each day, he left his government Cabinet office and headed over to his office at the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, where he continued to help Pakistan's persecuted minorities until late into the night.

"I personally stand for religious freedom, even if I will pay the price of my life," he had said when he received the USCIRF award. "I live for this principle and I want to die for this principle."
(nationalreview.com/blogs/print/261104)