Pakistan is a well-known perpetrator of human rights violations. (File)
Washington:
Annual US religious freedom report voiced concern over targeted killing of Shiite Muslims in Pakistan, including largely Hazi ethnic Hazaras, and Ahmadi Muslims in alleged motivated attacks the faith.
The United States’ “ International Report on Freedom of Religion 2019 ”, which documents major cases of violations of freedom of religion worldwide, released Wednesday by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the State Department, stated that human rights activists have reported numerous cases of societal violence linked to the allegations of blasphemy; efforts by individuals to coerce religious minorities to convert to Islam; and societal harassment, discrimination and threats of violence against members of minority religious communities.
NGOs have expressed concern about what they have said is an increasing frequency of attempted abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage of young women from minority religious communities, especially young Hindu and Christian women.
“There have also been reports of attacks on holy places, cemeteries and religious symbols of Hindu, Christian and Ahmadi minorities,” said the report.
According to Ahmadi civil society organizations, the State Department said, Islamabad has not restricted advertisements or speeches inciting anti-Ahmadi violence, although this responsibility is a component of the NAP. Civil society groups have continued to voice concerns about the safety of religious minorities.
Visiting US government officials met with representatives of minority communities, parliamentarians, human rights activists and members of the federal cabinet to highlight concerns about the treatment of minority religious communities, the report said. application of the laws on blasphemy and other forms of discrimination on the basis of religion. But still, no coercive action has been taken.
According to civil society reports, at least 84 people have been imprisoned for blasphemy, of which at least 29 have been sentenced to death, up from 77 and 28 respectively in 2018, the State Department said in the report.
NGOs have expressed concern that the authorities have often failed to intervene in cases of societal violence against religious minorities for fear of the perpetrators, insufficient staff.
“The perpetrators of societal violence and abuses against religious minorities have often had no legal consequences due to the lack of follow-up on the part of the police, the bribes offered by the accused and pressure on victims to drop cases. In some cases, the alleged abduction and conversions of young women belonging to a religious minority, however, government authorities have intervened to protect the alleged victim and verify his will, “said the report.
On November 9, the government opened a newly renovated Sikh sacred site, the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, as well as a visa-free transit corridor for Sikh pilgrims traveling from India.
However, minority religious leaders stated that members of their communities continued to face discrimination in public schools and higher education, which resulted in very few candidates from religious minorities competing and being able to compete. claim employment in the public service and the public service.
Pakistan is a well-known perpetrator of these human rights violations. On several occasions, he has promised to safeguard the interests of minority communities in the nation. However, the continuing attacks on minorities tell a different story.
Islamabad discriminates against its religious minorities. This manifests itself in various forms of targeted violence, mass murder, extrajudicial executions, kidnappings, rapes, forced conversion to Islam, etc., making Pakistani Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Ahmadis and Shiites the most persecuted minorities in the region.
