Pakistan’s treatment of its religious minorities has been sharply criticized by the British parliamentarians. British parliamentarians called on Pakistan to protect the religious minorities while safeguarding their fundamental rights.
The UK Parliamentarians while taking part in a debate in the House of Commons; voiced concerns about persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan. They also highlighted the plight of minorities in Algeria and other countries. They criticized hate preaching, and focused on its impact on public. At the same time, the UK lawmakers urged their government to warn government of Pakistan to tackle with the issue of mistreatment of minorities.
About 21 Parliamentarians took part in this debate, as they urged the UK government to make sure hate preachers are not allowed to enter the UK. On this occasion, the Minister for Asia and Pacific Mark Field, briefed the House about the UK government’s stance on these issues and the steps taken in this regard.
Briefing the House, Mark Field said: “I hope the world outside, in particular the countries mentions today that clearly discriminate against Ahmadi populations, do not think that calm does not underpin a certain amount of anger and our real sense of mission. The plight of the most peaceable of communities should be in our hearts. I hope we continue to work consistently and persistently on it.”
The UK also recognizes that Christians and Shi’a Muslims also suffer too. In November, 2017, the UK government exerted pressure on Pakistan to take steps in order to safeguard its religious minorities. Pakistan was urged to announce measures taken in order to tackle with the issue of blasphemy law being misused as a tool against the religious minorities.
“In 2017, religious minorities in Pakistan, including Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Ahmadis, and Shi’a Muslims, continued to face attacks and discrimination from extremist groups and society at large. The government of Pakistan failed to protect these groups adequately, and it perpetrated systematic, ongoing, egregious religious freedom violations. Various media outlets promoted intolerance against religious minorities. Abusive enforcement of the country’s strict blasphemy laws resulted in the suppression of rights for non-Muslims, Shi’a Muslims, and Ahmadis”, latest Unites States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said.
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