US lists Pakistan with ten other nations for Religious Freedom Violations

NewsBharati    05-Jan-2018
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Washington, January 5: The United States has placed Pakistan along with ten other nations in the list of countries designated as the worst offenders against religious liberty. However, Pakistan was placed on a Special Watch List, which is a new category below that of Countries of Particular Concern.

 

Notably, the State Department on Thursday unveiled its list of countries designated as the worst offenders against religious liberty that includes Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. These countries were labeled as “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC) in the State Department’s report which has been remained unchanged from last year.


Pakistan was placed on a Special Watch List for severe violations of religious freedom. The Special Watch List is for countries that engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious liberty, but not to the extent of a CPC.

In a statement, the US State Department said, "In far too many places around the globe, people continue to be persecuted, unjustly prosecuted, or imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief." "Today, a number of governments infringe upon individuals' ability to adopt, change, or renounce their religion or belief, worship in accordance with their religion or beliefs, or be free from coercion to practice a particular religion or belief," the statement added.

"These designations are aimed at improving the respect for religious freedom in these countries," the statement said while adding that it welcomed moves by "several designated countries" to improve their respect for religious freedom.


Interestingly, the designations are a part of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), passed in 1998. It requires an annual report on religious freedom to be provided to the US Congress and for a list of countries of particular concern to be designated each year.