Religious minorities are unsafe in Pakistan : Khawaja Asif

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif acknowledges

Islamabad (Pakistan) – Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif raised concerns regarding “minority safety” in the country during a national assembly session, news agency reported on 24th June. He said that minorities in the nation are facing ‘targeted violence’ in the name of religion. “Everyday, minorities are being killed. They are not safe under the guise of Islam. I want to address the issue of minority safety, but the opposition is blocking my efforts. Pakistan is facing global embarrassment,” Khawaja Asif was quoted. Asif asserted that in Pakistan, no religious minorities, including smaller sects within Islam, are secure, despite constitutional safeguards. He emphasised the need for measures to protect minorities, pointing out that numerous victims of violence were targeted not because of blasphemy (insulting the Quran and the Prophet Mohammad) allegations but due to personal grudges.

Khawaja Asif further said that we should protect our minority brothers. They have as much right to live in this country as the majority. Pakistan belongs to all Pakistanis, be they Muslims, Christians, Sikhs or any other religion. Our Constitution guarantees full protection to minorities. (Would Asif also tell us why the rulers have not acted accordingly till now ? – Editor)

Khawaja Asif said that, the Pakistan Government could not introduce a resolution on blasphemy due to strong opposition from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

‘Blasphemy law in Pakistan’ is the strictest law in the world !

Pakistan’s blasphemy law is among the harshest in the world and has a serious impact on the country’s religious minorities. The law, enshrined in the Pakistan Penal Code, provides severe punishment, including the death penalty, for those who insult Islam, the Prophet Mohammad and the Quran.

According to Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, religious minorities including Christians, Hindus and Sikhs are disproportionately accused and convicted under blasphemy laws. Ahmadiyya Muslims, a minority sect among Muslims, also face persecution; because they are not considered Muslims in the constitution of Pakistan. On 25th May, a Christian man was beaten up and his house burnt down in Sargodha city. This persecution is not limited to the charge of blasphemy. Hindu and Sikh minorities, especially in the Sindh region, face social discrimination and their daughters are often abducted, converted and married off to Muslim men.

Editorial Perspectives

Why are international human rights organisations, especially organisations in the US and Europe, silent about this statement of Pakistan’s Defence Minister ? Why did they not act in this case for so many years ?

Will the international, as well as the community in India, who side with those who cry ‘Muslims are unsafe in India’, utter a word about it now ?

At the time of partition in 1947, Hindus constituted 9% of Pakistan’s population, now it is less than 1%. No one has said anything about this so far, it is the misfortune of the Hindus living in Pakistan !