Last week, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (an independent non-governmental organization)
issued its 2013 annual report on the state of human rights in the country (
full text). In a lengthy chapter on "Freedom of thought, conscience and religion", the Commission said in part:
Pakistan’s record in protecting members of its religious and sectarian minorities from faith-based violence and discrimination has been far from impressive in recent years. In fact, the year under review saw continuation of the recent trend of violence and impunity that seemed to reinforce each other. The growing problems for the minorities came from extremist militant groups seeking to justify violence and brutalities in the name of religion. Secondly, the challenges came from the local factors; and finally, from the government’s failure to protect members of minority religions and sects from faith-based violence or to confront hate speech, intimidation or intolerance. This year also nothing was done to weed out discrimination against non-Muslim citizens written into law or to introduce safeguards widely acknowledged to be needed in order to prevent abuse of the blasphemy law
The Commission made 5 recommendations in this area:
1. Unless serious steps are taken to stop sustained hate campaigns against members of religious and sectarian minority groups and unless those fanning hate speech are brought to justice, the bloodletting in the name of religious faith cannot be stopped.....
2. The blasphemy law is in urgent need of reform to prevent its abuse by extremists and opportunists.... The systematic and organised intimidation of judges in cases of blasphemy or desecration of scripture undermines administration of justice....
3. There is considerable evidence that those involved in faith-based violence have penetrated law enforcement agencies..... [T]hese elements should be urgently identified and weeded out....
4. Codification of personal law for Hindus and Sikhs should be a priority.....
5. Nothing has caused as great frustration and desperation among Pakistan’s minority religious faiths as incidents of forced conversion and lack of action against the perpetrators. The state should introduce a mechanism to ensure that the girls in question and their families get justice without having to suffer harassment and threats from rowdy crowds in courts and powerful politicians patronising this repulsive trampling of rights.
