Official policies restrict religious freedom in Pakistan, says US
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton—AP Photo
WASHINGTON, July 30: In Pakistan, the Constitution and other laws and policies restrict religious freedom and the government enforced these restrictions, says a US State Department report released on Monday.
The report, which examines religious freedom or the lack of it across the globe, points out in a chapter on Pakistan that individuals accused of blasphemy or who publicly criticised the blasphemy laws and called for their reform continued to be killed.
The two most prominent victims of this practice were Governor Punjab Salman Taseer and Minister of Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti, who was the only Christian in the cabinet, the report adds.
“The government demonstrated a trend towards deterioration in respect for and protection of the right to religious freedom,” claims the report, adding that “some government practices limited freedom of religion, particularly for religious minorities”.
The report also points out that:
Abuses under the blasphemy law and other discriminatory laws continued; the government did not take adequate measures to prevent these incidents or reform the laws to prevent abuse.
Since the government rarely investigated or prosecuted the perpetrators of increased extremist attacks on religious minorities and members of the Muslim majority promoting tolerance, the climate of impunity continued. There were instances in which law-enforcement personnel reportedly abused religious minorities in custody.
The government took some steps to improve religious freedom and promote tolerance, such as the creation of a Ministry of National Harmony and the appointment of a special adviser for minority affairs following Shahbaz Bhatti’s assassination.
There were reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice. Societal intolerance and violence against minorities and Muslims promoting tolerance increased.
There were increased reports of human rights and religious freedom activists and members of minorities hesitating to speak in favour of religious tolerance due to “a climate of intolerance and fear, especially after the killings of Salman Taseer and Minister Bhatti as a result of their opposition to the blasphemy laws.
A rise in acts of violence and intimidation against religious minorities by extremists exacerbated existing sectarian tensions.
Extremists in some parts of the country demanded that all citizens follow their authoritarian interpretation of Islam and threatened brutal consequences if they did not abide by it”. — Anwar Iqbal
The US is at least hundread years ahead of Pak in every regard. The US is right! Being much advanced than we are, they are liable to see what being subject to ignorance Pakistan CAN'T!
God bless non-Muslims from Muslims.
There is a reason why it is called "ISLAMIC" Republic of Pakistan.
Authority will always be in the hands of Muslims, Laws would be made according to the religious scriptures, although rights would be given to every individual.
Well every one have right to express his/her thoughts but problem is this first you should look into your own collar' then say something about others… Now Americans have seen religious injustice in Pakistan but they don not see what is happening in "BURMA" there is human persecution. Why Hillary Clinton not asked something about that hot issue. And in Pakistan no religious injustice. I don't care what the report is????????…
Pakisatni people can only think and talk about only religion.
Religions my friends should have the inbuilt tolerance and endurance rather that the cover of safety by bigots who defy it's tenets day in and day out.
In Izrael and Europe speaking against their religion the punish is the death and why in Islam and Pakistan people saying bad words against Prophet, the punishment is death.
*yawwwwwnnn*….. so, what else is new ?? :-/
It will be interesting to know US view about what tragedy the world has seen of Burma’s Muslims?
Why Human right remains silent on the Massacre of Muslims in Burma and Syria??…everytime they observe and criticize the acts of Pakistanis..
SYria? Who is killing muslims? Muslims are killing muslims.
The US State Department criticizes Saudi Arabia and other ME nations too. Please check this report:
http://dawn.com/2012/08/01/us-report-highlights-r…
There are many atrocities which were and are being committed agaianst minorities in Pakistan but are not reported in Pakistani media i can give at least a dozen of incidents against hindus in my areafor about five too seven years who were brutally beatenthere propertiesdamaged by fanatics after false accusation of defaming Islam .Just because unfortunately they have some valuable property/business there.All these were not mentioned in any newspaper/tv channel because it was against kafirs.
AS COMPARE TO MINORITES
SHIA MUSLIMS MORE AFFECTED IN PAKISTAN.THOUSANDS OF SHIA MUSLIMS SLAUGHTERD BY THE EVIL POWERS LIKE TALIBAN,ALQAIDA AND SOME SUCH TERROR WINGS.
In addition to that I must say in Pakitsan it is the duty of our government to safeguard the all citizen regardless of the religious background. We must observe peace and harmony with our Muslim (sunni, non sunni), christian, Hundu, Sikh and whoever is Pakstani citizen must be safe and treated with respect and diginty. Indian teach your governemnt to treat ALL SAME REGARDLESS OF THEIR RELIGOUS BACKGROUNDS
There was a news report on NPR (New York local station) I heard that day.. TRUE story – a drone attack in North Waziristan close to Afghanistan border killed a man who was wrongly targeted. His 9 year old son was being interviewed by BBC. It was proven without doubt that the man was innocent – became target of a drone meant for someone else. Interviewer asked – 'How did your father died?' – boy answered "he was killed by the drone – he was an innocent farmer' – he was asked again 'Who do you think killed him"? he answers 'Amreeka..and I will take revenge and kill them'..
Religious freedom in US is a wonderful thing but let's not talk about religious freedom in other countries when you are killing their civilians and by doing that creating hundreds of thousands of 'terrorists' in your dictionary like this 9 year old innocent kid who knows nothing but wants to take revenge! Fix your act first Ms Clinton – too many other things should be on your priority list – talk about those things first that matter most!!
Mr Haidery, Us is no angel and we all will agree to that but it does not abolve our responsibilty of treating non sunnis fairly? So this young boy said he will take revenge against the Americans becuase they killed his innocent father. may Allah bless him and enable him to take this revenge. Now what about the Shia father and the Ahmedi father and the hazara father who were also innocent and killed by fanatic Sunnis? Should their children alsotake revenge against Pakistani sunnis? Instead of looking into US problems, please look in your own backyard and clean the mess otherwise this "revenge" will leave no Pakistani safe!!!
Go bless America.
Pakistan has gone far too down the road of religious intolerance. For some reason they back it with an immense conviction that their religious ways are always right and others are wrong! Pakistan is a country with an immense international visibility – Pakistani's and people of Pakistani origin live all over the western world. Pakistan is not a small, oil rich Arab country which can say to the hell with the world opinion and live of their oil revenues. They have a huge international role to play as the second largest Islamic country, with a nascent democracy, modern education system, highly skilled work-force, great history and a powerful army! They should position themselves as an inclusive, tolerant society like the Muslim countries in the far east!