Contrary to the writer, US gives more freedom, respect to Muslims, compared to Muslim world gives non-Muslim citizens.
KARACHI: This is with reference to Salman Ali Shoaib’s article of January 27 titled, “America and its relationship with Muslims”.
Contrary to what the writer has said, the fact is that America gives much more freedom and respect to Muslims, compared to what the Muslim world gives to non-Muslims residents in Muslim-majority countries.
Furthermore, when Pakistanis migrate and work in the ‘brotherly’ Arab countries, they are treated like second-class citizens, and are given no rights regardless of the number of years that they may have spent working. Compare this to countries in Europe and North America that bestow citizenship rights to foreign nationals who migrate there for work.
We won’t let any synagogue be built in our country but the Americans have allowed the construction of thousands of mosques. It’s very easy to sit and criticise other countries without taking a look at ourselves. No one is denying that American policy, especially foreign, is flawed but the freedom America gives to its citizens and residents to practice their religion and faith is exemplary.
Abdul Moiz
Published in The Express Tribune, January 28th, 2012.
