Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO), on Wednesday, rejected the US StateDepartment’s arbitrary and selective assessment that has placed Pakistanamong “countries of particular concern” (CPC) under its InternationalReligious Freedom Act.
The FO stated, “This is completely against the realities on the ground andraises serious doubts about the credibility of the exercise. Suchsubjective designations do not contribute towards promoting the cause ofreligious freedom worldwide”.
It also said that it is regretful that the United States of America hasdisregarded the “fact that Pakistan and the US have been constructivelyengaging on the subject at the bilateral level”.——————————
——————————
The US Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, announced that Americaidentifies Pakistan, China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan,Turkmenistan, Nigeria, North Korea, Myanmar, and Eritrea as CPCs, andblames them for accepting “systematic, ongoing, egregious violations ofreligious freedom”.
The FO remarked, “The glaring omission of India, where the RSS-BJP regimeand their leaders openly disregard religious freedom and discriminateagainst minority communities in an institutionalized manner is unfortunateand puts the credibility of the US report into question”.
It added, “It is no secret that attacks by cow vigilantes and mob lynchingsof Indian Muslims take place regularly, with complete impunity for theperpetrators. Systematic demonization, dispossession, marginalization andtargeted violence against Muslims using the communal slur of ‘love jihad’in Hindutva-inspired India has become commonplace”.