Pakistan among Worst Violators of Religious Freedom, US Body Says
Published July 12, 2024
USCIRF again recommends designation as ‘Country of Particular Concern.’LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) again has recommended that the State Department designate Pakistan as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), citing the country’s blasphemy laws as a prime source religious freedom violations.
The U.S. State Department does not accept all USCIRF recommendations in its annual designation of countries that practice or tolerate egregious religious freedom violations, but it has designated Pakistan as a CPC every year since 2018.
Pakistan continues to witness widespread abuses of religious freedom, including blasphemy laws, forced conversions of minority girls, and targeted violence against religious minorities, according to the 2024 USCIRF report.
The blasphemy laws, particularly Sections 295-A, B, and C of the Pakistan Penal Code, have been criticized for broad and vague provisions often misused to settle personal scores or target people of minority religions in the 96-percent Muslim country. The USCIRF report documents numerous cases of individuals, including Christians, Hindus and Ahmadis, being falsely accused and imprisoned under these laws.
The mere accusation of blasphemy can lead to mob violence, extrajudicial killings, and mass protests, creating a climate of fear and intimidation, the USCIRF noted. The recent high-profile case of Zohaib Masih, a young Christian who was wrongfully detained and tortured on false blasphemy charges, exemplifies the ongoing misuse of these laws, it stated.
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