ASIA/PAKISTAN - Civil society to the government: Give public recognition to Akash Bashir, the Servant of God

Karachi (Agenzia Fides) - "We ask the government of Pakistan to award our Christian martyr Akash Bashir one of the highest civil awards for his courage. It has been almost 7 years since Akash Bashir sacrificed his life and bravely fought against a suicide bomber, saving 1500 people in a church. Recently, Pope Francis named him a "Servant of God" for the great sacrifice he made in saving innocent human lives from this brutal terrorist attack. Now the government of Pakistan should also take note of his heroism", says Nasir Raza, President of the "National Committee for Peace and Interreligious Harmony" in the Province of Sindh, in southern Pakistan.
Nasir Raza, well-known personality and socially and culturally committed to human rights and minority rights, in a message sent to Agenzia Fides says: "Akash Bashir saved hundreds of men, women and Christian children, all Pakistani, in the church. Akash's sacrifice should not be considered only as a sacrifice for the Christian community, but as a sacrifice for Pakistan, and above all for all humanity, since it saved hundreds of human beings". Raza added: "Not only did he fight bravely against the terrorist armed with explosives, but he also failed to allow the terrorist to succeed in his plan to kill hundreds of innocent Pakistani Christians".
Nasir Raza wonders: "If the Prime Minister can announce the highest civilian recognition of Shujaat (courage) for a person like Malik Adnan who did his best to protect and save Priyantha Diyawadana, the Sri Lankan citizen who was lynched in Sialkot, so why not give the civil recognition of courage also to Akash Bashir, who saved over 1,500 people in St. John's Church on March 15, 2015?". With this in mind "we appeal to the President of Pakistan and Prime Minister Imran Khan to award this year the high civil recognition, the 'Medal of Courage' (Shujaat) to the Pakistani Christian martyr Akash Bashir for his great courage, until the sacrifice of his own life", concludes Nasir Raza.
The Holy Father, Pope Francis announced Akash Bashir as a "servant of God" on January 31, 2022 (see Fides, 3/2/2022). The news released by the Archdiocese of Lahore has aroused great joy among Pakistani Christians as Akash Bashir is the first Pakistani Catholic to be received on the path to holiness. Akash Bashir was martyred in the brutal attacks on St. John's Catholic Church and Christ Church in Youhanabad on March 15, 2015 by Tehreek-e-Taliban Jamaatul Ahrar terrorists. (AG-PA) (Agenzia Fides, 12/2/2022)

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