FO rejects ‘Country of Concern’ status by US
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Monday strongly rejected its designation by US as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC), labeling the assessment as “biased and arbitrary”.
In a statement, the FO said: “We categorically reject Pakistan’s designation as ‘a Country of Particular Concern’ by US State Department. We are deeply dismayed that the designation is based on biased and arbitrary assessment, detached from ground realities.”
On Jan 4, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken designated Pakistan, along with 11 other countries — Burma (Myanmar), the People’s Republic of China, Cuba, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Eritrea, Iran, Nicaragua, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan — as “Countries of Particular Concern” for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.
The State Department’s designations, updated annually, follow a review process as mandated by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. This Act requires an annual report on international religious freedom. Besides CPC, the other two designations are Special Watch List and Entities of Particular Concern.
The CPC designation, highlighting systemic and egregious violations, implies more than just naming and shaming. It can lead to a range of US actions, from diplomatic negotiations to sanctions, and places the designated countries under increased global scrutiny.
Pakistan, emphasising its diversity, stated: “In line with its Constitution, Pakistan has undertaken wide-ranging measures to promote religious freedom and protect minority rights.”
The FO also expressed disappointment over the exclusion of India from the designation list.
“We note with deep concern that India, the biggest and serial violator of religious freedom, has once again been excluded from US State Department’s designation list,” the statement read, adding that this omission raises serious questions about the credibility, transparency, and objectivity of the process.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a bipartisan federal agency, has also expressed disappointment over the State Department’s failure to designate India as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’, despite meeting the criteria under US law.
USCIRF Chair Abraham Cooper and Vice Chair Frederick A. Davie have also criticised the decision.
Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2024