Islamabad, 9 January 2023 (TDI): The spokesperson for Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday rejected the designation of Pakistan as a country of particular concern by the United States Secretary of State.
The statement from the foreign office added that we categorically reject Pakistan’s designation as “a Country of Particular Concern’ by the US State Department. We are deeply dismayed that the designation is based on biased and arbitrary assessment, detached from ground realities.
It also added that Pakistan is a pluralistic country, with a rich tradition of interfaith harmony. In line with its Constitution, Pakistan has undertaken wide-ranging measures to promote religious freedom and protect the rights of minorities.
Furthermore, it stated that we note with deep concern that India, the biggest and serial violator of religious freedom has once again been excluded from the US State Department’s designation list.
This is despite clear recommendations by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) as well as public concerns raised by international human rights constituencies about India’s maltreatment of religious minorities.
This conspicuous omission raises serious questions about the credibility, transparency, and objectivity of the entire process.
We remain convinced that such discriminatory, unilateral, and subjective exercises are counterproductive and undermine our shared objective to advance religious freedom globally.
Pakistan strongly believes that the contemporary challenge of religious intolerance, xenophobia, and Islamophobia can be best countered through constructive engagement and collective efforts based on mutual understanding and respect.
With a similar spirit, Pakistan has bilaterally engaged the United States. Pakistan’s concerns about the designation are being conveyed to the US Side.
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Under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, the President is required to annually review the status of religious freedom in every country in the world.
Further after review, the President designates each country the government which has engaged in or tolerated “particularly severe violations of religious freedom” as a Country of Particular Concern.
Other states included in this list are Burma, the People’s Republic of China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Nicaragua, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
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