Pakistan rejects US religious freedom report, calls it 'politically motivated'
Pakistan today rejected as "unilateral and politically motivated" the US's decision to place it on its annual list of nations that infringe on religious freedom. The Trump administration yesterday designated Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, and seven others as countries of particular concern for having engaged in or tolerated "systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom". Here are the details.
Serious question on credentials, impartiality of self-proclaimed jury: Pakistan
"Pakistan rejects the US State Department's unilateral and politically motivated pronouncement released in the context of its annual religious freedom report," the Foreign Office said in a statement. The statement further said, "Besides the clear biases reflected from these designations, there are serious questions on the credentials and impartiality of the self-proclaimed jury involved in this unwarranted exercise."
Self-introspect rising Islamophobia, anti-Semitism in US, Pak suggests
Pakistan is a multi-religious, pluralistic society where people of diverse faiths and denominations live together, including around 4% of Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs, the statement said. Ensuring equal treatment of minorities and their enjoyment of human rights without any discrimination is the cardinal principle of the Constitution of Pakistan, it said. It also called for self-introspection over rising Islamophobia, anti-Semitism in the US.
