ICC Note:

The U.S. State Department has designated Pakistan a “country of particular concern” (CPC) because of severe violations of religious freedom. The designation was made after the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommended Pakistan’s CPC designation back in its annual report in 2017. Christians, who make up a small minority of Pakistan’s population, suffer severe persecution from Muslim extremists inside Pakistan. Terrorist have come to target Christian gatherings and placed of worship as soft targets. The country’s notorious blasphemy laws also disproportionately affect Pakistan’s Christians as they are abused to settle personal scores or incite religious hatred. 

01/09/2018 Pakistan (The Christian Times) – Pakistan has been placed on the U.S. State Department’s special watch list of “countries of particular concern” (CPC) for “severe” violations of religious freedom.

On Thursday, the State Department announced its annual CPC list based on observance of ongoing violations of religious freedom in countries across the globe.

“In far too many places around the globe, people continue to be persecuted, unjustly prosecuted, or imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief,” department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said, as reported by Catholic Herald.

“Today, a number of governments infringe upon individuals’ ability to adopt, change, or renounce their religion or belief, worship in accordance with their religion or beliefs, or be free from coercion to practice a particular religion or belief,” she added.

Pakistan has drawn criticism for the treatment of religious minorities, such as Christians, Ahmadi Muslims and Hindus. Many have faced death and imprisonment under Pakistan’s blasphemy law as sectarian violence continues to rise in the country.

A report published by U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in 2017 noted that many Hindu and Christian girls are vulnerable to forced conversions into Islam and marriage due to the lack of legal protections for religious minorities.

Pakistan’s designation came as the U.S. had suspended security assistance to the country for its failure to take “decisive action” against extremist groups.

President Donald Trump said last week that the U.S. had “foolishly” provided $33 billion in aid to Pakistan in the last 15 years, but had received nothing in return but “lies and deceit.”

Last April, USCIRF had recommended that Central African Republic, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Syria and Vietnam be added to the State Department’s list of CPCs.

USCIRF applauded the State Department for adding Pakistan to a watch list, but it expressed disappointment that the other recommended countries were not mentioned at all.

…

For interviews with William Stark, ICC’s Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org.