International bodies and the US awarding negative listing to Pakistan, sanctioning the country and halting aid proceedings are tactics Pakistani governments have dealt with on innumerable accounts. While the concerns on the FATF front have not even been resolved, Pakistan has been blacklisted by the US for “not doing enough to ensure religious freedom in the country”. Albeit the country has not been sanctioned monetarily, the listing reflects the bias the US has held against Pakistan for long.
With a more active Ministry of Human Rights, the government is taking steps to improve the situation in a realm of affairs regarded as highly sensitive in Pakistan. The crackdown on the TLP leadership post the outbreak of protests in the wake of Aasia Bibi’s acquittal from the Supreme Court points at the government’s commitment to not let religious influences challenge the authority of the state. Moreover, with the exception of a couple of countries, the list includes nations having political tiffs with the US, as shockingly India despite numerous cases of violation of rights’ of minorities is still an exception.
Yet on Pakistan’s part, a closer to realistic account, combined with a strong rebuke from the Foreign Office, does not negate the fact that Pakistan is yet to go a long way before minorities are stopped from being persecuted for personal vendetta and politically-motivated reasons. As incidents from the past telling of unfair and unjust treatment of a minority sect are no hidden truth, it is important that the government act upon awarding freedom to minorities in real terms.
Unfortunately, religious freedom has penetrated deep across the regions as Islamophobia continues to account for significant number of violent incidents around the world. More so, when the US and its incumbent government enact upon extremist policies on the basis of religion and political beliefs.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 14th, 2018.
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