Washington’s designation of Pakistan on religious freedom concern list ‘politically motivated’ — PM’s aide

Special Representative to the Prime Minister on Interfaith Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi (4th from L) addressing a press conference at the Institute of Quran and Seerat Studies Islamabad on Nov 20, 2021. (Pakistan Ulema Council)

• United States this week designated Pakistan among 10 states as ‘countries of particular concern’
• US administration should change its attitude toward Muslim countries, religious scholars say

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani prime minister’s aide on religious harmony, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, on Saturday rejected Washington’s designation of Pakistan as a “country of particular concern,” describing the move as “politically motivated.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week designated Russia, as well as China and eight other states, as countries of concern “for having engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”
The other countries on the US list for “religious freedom violations” included Myanmar, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Algeria, Comoros, Cuba and Nicaragua were placed on a watch list.
“US administration used to turn a blind eye on atrocities of the minorities in India, which hinted that this decision is politically motivated,” Ashrafi said at a press conference in Islamabad.
“The constitution of Pakistan gives full protection to all minorities and takes care of their respective rights. Minorities in Pakistan have complete freedom according to their religions and there are no restrictions anywhere for minorities in the country.”
The incumbent government had also taken various steps regarding religious tolerance and interfaith harmony in the country, he said, rejecting the allegations that blasphemy laws were being misused or that forced religious conversions were being carried out in Pakistan.
On Thursday, the Pakistani foreign office had also rejected Washington’s “arbitrary and selective assessment” under a domestic legislation on religious freedom.
“The designation of Pakistan as a ‘country of particular concern’ is completely against the realities on the ground and raises serious doubts about the credibility of this exercise,” foreign office spokesman Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said in a statement.
He said that Pakistani society is multi-religious and pluralistic with a rich tradition of interfaith harmony.
“Religious freedom and the protection of the rights of minorities are guaranteed by our constitution and ensured through a range of legislative, policy and administrative measures,” Iftikhar added.