EDITORIAL: Religious freedom in Pakistan US Department of States July-December, 2010 International Religious Freedom Repor t has documented major

developments with respect to religious freedom in 198 coun tries and territories. The report placed China, Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar, North Kor ea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Uzbekistan as countries of particular concern regardin g religious freedom while 10 other countries, including Pakistan, were cited for failing to sufficiently protect religious rights. The report has raised importa nt points regarding our country. On Pakistan, it says: The government did not ref orm a blasphemy law that had been used to prosecute those who belong to religiou s minorities, and in some cases Muslims who promote tolerance. The government al so used provisions of the penal code to prevent Ahmedis from practicing their re ligion. Members of other Islamic sects, Christians, Sikhs, and Hindus also repor ted governmental and societal discriminationThe government of Pakistan rarely pro secuted perpetrators of extremist attacks, deepening the climate of impunity. When late Governor Salmaan Taseer raised the issue of amending the blasphemy law s, he was silenced by a fanatics bullets. With Mr Taseers death, the issue of blas phemy laws also died a silent death. Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti was the second victim of the religious fanatics who opposed anyone challenging the flawe d blasphemy laws. These laws have been used to settle petty feuds, personal riva lries, property disputes, etc, both against the Muslims and non-Muslims by peopl e with vested interests. Many Islamic scholars are of the opinion that Pakistans blasphemy laws are man-made and thus can be changed since they are not based on Islamic teachings. Unfortunately, anybody who dares to challenge the veracity of these laws as per Islamic jurisprudence are threatened, harassed and/or killed. The government has, by the looks of it, given up on any debate regarding the bl asphemy laws in view of two publicised killings of politicians this year Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer and federal Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti. Blasphem y laws are not the only flawed laws present in Pakistans statute books. General Z iaul Haq might not have been responsible for declaring the Ahmedis non-Muslims b ut the laws promulgated under his command banning the Ahmedis from practicing th eir religion openly led to the persecution of the Ahmediyya community. The hate campaign against the Ahmedis continues to date. Just this year, Tehrik-e-Tahafuz -e-Khatm-e-Nabuwat took out pamphlets openly inciting violence against the Ahmed is in Punjab. It has led to various attacks on Ahmedi citizens resulting in the deaths. So far, the Punjab government has not just failed to nab the culprits bu t it has also turned a blind eye to such hate-mongering campaigns in the provinc e. Sectarian violence is rampant all over Pakistan. Many Shias have lost their l ives at the hands of banned sectarian outfits like the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) a nd Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP). These outfits have the overt and covert suppor t of our intelligence agencies, which is why no action has been taken against th em either. Christians, Hindus and Sikhs do not feel safe in this hostile environ ment. Religious minorities are treated worse than second-class citizens in our c ountry. There are many reasons for religious intolerance in Pakistan. Madrassas, jihadi organisations, textbooks with distorted history, sermons by illiterate and intol erance clerics, etc, are but a few reasons why Pakistan remains one of the most intolerant societies worldwide. The government must bring about educational refo rms and close down religions seminaries or at least bring them into the mainstre am. Hate literature should be banned. The militarys flawed policies of supporting sectarian outfits and other religious organisations must come to an end apart f rom making Pakistans constitution secular in letter and spirit. *