Faisalabad: May 5, 2011. (PCP) Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) has deep reservations about the government’s decision to appoint Mr. Riaaz Hussain Pirzada, a Muslim, as federal minister for minorities affairs, the portfolio held by Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti until his assassination on March 2nd . Mr. Bhatti was killed after taking a bold stand in favour of the total repeal of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and for advocating the release of Asia Bibi, a victim of the laws who is in prison, having been sentenced to death last year. "In a scenario when minorities are facing persecution, the appointment of a Muslim minority minister has revealed the true face of Pakistan's government,” said Naveed Walter, president of HRFP. "It has also sent a message that it is prepared to compromise to placate fundamentalists, by giving the post to a Muslim." Before Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti’s murder, fundamentalists were pressurizing the government to remove him from the post, unhappy with the vital role he was playing on behalf of Christians and other minorities. Mr. Bhatti, the only Christian in the federal cabinet, was struggling for the rights of minorities. His achievements included the allocation of four reserve seats in the Senate to be held by members of minorities; the replacement of the derogatory term for Christians (“Esai”) with the preferred term “Masihi”; and the granting of property rights to minorities living in Islamabad’s Katchi abadis (informal settlements). He also secured the granting of remission at religious festivals for minorities in prison for minor crimes, as is granted to Muslims. In prisons, he established prayer rooms for minority prisoners. The big question minorities now have is, will the new minister for minorities affairs work for the total repeal of the blasphemy laws and the release of its victims who are in prison? The ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government in the latest cabinet change inducted 14 members of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) party into the cabinet on Monday. Among them was the new federal minister for minorities, Mr. Pirzada, who is a member of National Assembly and a leader in the PML(Q). The full fledged ministry for minorities was formed during the regime of General Pervez Musharraf regime, and after elections in 2008 Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti was appointed the first ever federal minister for minorities affairs in the new PPP government. Before Mr. Bhatti’s appointment, the post was held by junior members of the cabinet (state ministers). Under this week’s shift, a Christian PML(Q) parliamentarian, Mr. Akram Masih Gill, has been appointed as a state minister for minorities, and will work under the new federal minister, Mr. Pirzada. Another Christian, Dr. Paul Bhatti – brother of the late Shahbaz Bhatti – is an advisor to the prime minister, but does not have the power enjoyed by the federal minister for minorities affairs.