US designates Pakistan as countries of particular concern among others

US designates Pakistan as countries of particular concern among others under the United States International Religious Freedom Act.

Secretary of State Michael Pompeo that the United States had designated Pakistan, China and Iran as “countries of particular Concern” (CPC).

US designates Pakistan as countries of particular concern

Moreover, he also named Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Nigeria, North Korea, Myanmar and Eritrea among CPC.

Pompeo’s statement accused these countries of “engaging in or tolerating “systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom”.

Secretary Pompeo also announced placing the Comoros, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Russia on a special watch list for governments that engage in or tolerated “severe violations of religious freedom”.

The commission’s 2020 report noted that religious freedom conditions across Pakistan had continued to trend negatively.

It also noted the systematic enforcement of blasphemy and anti-Qadiani laws, and authorities’ failure to address forced conversions of religious minorities — including Hindus, Christians, and Sikhs — to Islam, severely restricted freedom of religion or belief,” it added.

Furthermore, the report noted that nearly 80 individuals remained imprisoned for blasphemy in Pakistan, with at least half facing a life sentence or death.

After spending five years in solitary confinement for allegedly posting blasphemous content online, Junaid Hafeez was given the death sentence in December last year, the report added.

The report, however, acknowledged that last year they also noted “some high-profile acquittals” in Pakistan.