Pakistani minister refutes discrimination in aid distribution
Pope Benedict XVI held a private meeting with Pakistan's Federal Minister for Minorities
Affairs, Shahbaz Bhatti, on Monday for a debriefing on relief efforts in the country
devastated by recent severe floods.
Pakistan's worst natural disaster in modern
history, the floods have forced more than six million people from their homes. Aid
agencies have warned that millions more are still at risk of death if emergency food
and shelter are not provided. Some media have reported discrimination in the distribution
of government aid to non Muslims, a charge the Minister flatly denies:
“The
news about discrimination in relief distribution [to flood victims] is baseless” he
told Vatican Radio. The Minister said he had personally toured the camps and areas
where the Christian communities and other minorities were affected in the company
of Catholic bishops and other Church leaders.
“I personally visited camp to
camp” he said “nobody complained to me or the other bishops” The Minister went on
to add that the government policies towards minorities “are based on equality”. ”We
are struggling to promote equality among religions and these flood waters know no
religious boundaries”.
The Minister, who is a Catholic, described his meeting
with Pope Benedict as “inspiring and spiritual”. He said the Pope showed great concern
for the victims and relief efforts. For his part the Minister expressed thanks on
behalf of Pakistan’s government for the Holy Father’s repeated appeals for solidarity
for Pakistan.