Pakistan Among World’s Worst Violators Of Religious Freedoms

Pakistan Among World’s Worst Violators Of Religious Freedoms

ICC Note

Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan face religious persecution. The US and the rest of the international community must pressure Pakistan to respect religious freedom.

By Joseph DeCaro

03/27/2012 Pakistan (Worthy News)– The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended that the Secretary of State name Pakistan as a Country of Particular Concern in its 2012 Annual Report.

Other nations recommended were: Burma, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

The USCIRF found that Pakistan continued to tolerate systematic and ongoing violations of religious freedom. Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws and other religiously repressive legislation fostered an atmosphere of violent vigilantism where sectarian violence was chronic.

The annual report highlighted the mistreatment of Ahmadis, Hindus and Christians in Pakistan, Buddhists in Vietnam and China and Baha’is in Iran and Egypt.

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Although not reaching the levels required by the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act for CPC designation, “Watch List” countries are closely monitored.

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