ISLAMABAD – Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi Friday urgedthe United States’ Ambassador at Large for Religious Freedom, AmbassadorSamuel Dale Brownback to take notice of egregious violations of humanrights and religious freedom of minorities in India and the people in theIndian occupied Kashmir (IoK).In a meeting with the ambassador who called on him here, the foreignminister drew his attention to the systematic persecution and suppressionof fundamental rights including religious freedom of the Kashmiri people atthe hands of Indian forces.Ambassador Brownback also met the foreign secretary earlier in the day, aForeign Office statement said.
Welcoming Ambassador Brownback to his first visit to Pakistan sinceassuming office, the foreign minister said Pakistan had always been apartner of international cooperation on the issues of religious freedom.He said the Constitution of Pakistan protected rights of all minorities inPakistan and added Pakistan, as part to seven out of nine human rightstreaties, was fully cognizant of its commitments to respect and protectminorities.He said Pakistan led initiatives to combat religious intolerance andpromote interfaith harmony had been endorsed by the United Nations GeneralAssembly and Human Rights Council.
Expressing concern over Pakistan’s designation as Country of ParticularConcern by the US State Department, the foreign minister highlighted thatthe designation did not appear to be in sync with the ground reality.“Pakistan is a mutli-religious and pluralistic society where people ofdiverse faiths and denominations live together. Pakistan has ensuredconstitutional and legal protection and freedom to all its citizensirrespective caste, creed or religious,” he remarked.The two sides agreed to work together to devise a strategy to get Pakistanout of the list of Countries of Particular Concern. The foreign ministersaid Pakistan would designate a focal person to interact with AmbassadorBrownback to implement the strategy.
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The foreign minister said higher judiciary of the country had made landmarkdecisions to protect the properties and places of worships of minorities.
