Despite the US State Department’s explicit rejection of Pakistan as “a country of particular concern,” the Pakistani government has remained “detached from ground realities,” according to a statement issued Monday in Islamabad.
For “having engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom,” the State Department last week named Burma, China, Cuba, Iran, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Russia, and a few other states as countries of particular concern.
As examples of violations, it cited assaults on houses of worship and members of religious minority groups, communal violence, long prison terms for nonviolent speech, and global repression.
Stated by Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, “We are deeply dismayed that the designation is based on biassed and arbitrary assessment, detached from ground realities,” the statement described the designation as unfounded.
She went on to say that Pakistan was a multi-faith melting pot with a long history of tolerance. She went on to say that Pakistan had taken extensive steps to uphold minority rights and encourage religious freedom in accordance with its constitution.
“It is concerning that India, which is known for its bigotry and repeated violations of religious freedom, has been removed from the US State Department’s list of designated countries once again. Despite public concerns voiced by international human rights groups regarding India’s treatment of religious minorities and unambiguous recommendations made by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), this continues. “This noticeable absence prompts valid concerns regarding the reliability, openness, and impartiality of the complete procedure,” the representative noted.
She went on to say that Pakistan was still firm in its belief that such biassed, one-sided, and subjective actions served only to undermine the common goal of promoting religious freedom around the world.
Pakistan is of the firm belief that the greatest way to combat the modern problems of religious intolerance, xenophobia, and Islamophobia is by positive dialogue and concerted international initiatives grounded in mutual regard and tolerance. The US and Pakistan have interacted bilaterally in a similar spirit, the spokesperson added.
She assured them that the US side was informed of Pakistan’s worries on the designation.
