Pakistan has strongly rejected US assessment on religious freedom which had termed it as ‘country of particular concern’.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in a statement has rebuked U.S. State Department’s arbitrary and selective assessment of Pakistan regarding religious freedom in the country.
The designation of Pakistan as a ‘country of particular concern’ is completely against the realities on the ground and raises serious doubts about the credibility of the exercise. Such subjective designations do not contribute towards promoting the cause of religious freedom worldwide. Pakistan and the US have been constructively engaging on the subject at the bilateral level, a fact regrettably overlooked by the US, read the official press-release issued by MoFA.
The statement highlighted and reiterated that Pakistani society is multi-religious and pluralistic with a rich tradition of inter-faith harmony.
Religious freedom and the protection of the rights of minorities are guaranteed by our Constitution and ensured through a range of legislative, policy and administrative measures, it added.
Pakistan also underscored the ‘obtrusive’ omission of India, where the RSS-BJP regime and their leaders openly disregard religious freedom and discriminate against minority communities in an institutionalized manner, is unfortunate and puts the credibility of the U.S. report into question.
Foreign office noted that findings and recommendations of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and U.S. Congressional hearing on religious freedom in India have completely ignored the maltreatment, violence against minorities in India especially Muslims of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Pakistan has reassured its commitment for efforts against intolerance, discrimination, xenophobia and Islamophobia and that any synergized global efforts are necessary for any success in this regard.
