Pak rejects 'politically motivated' listing as violator of religious freedoms by US

Islamabad:- As Washington announced that Pakistan had been added to a list of violators of religious freedoms, Islamabad on Wednesday rejected the "unilateral and politically motivated pronouncement".

"Pakistan rejects the State Department's unilateral and politically motivated pronouncement... Besides the clear biases reflected from these designations, there are serious questions over the credentials and impartiality of the self-proclaimed jury involved in this unwarranted exercise," Dawn news quoted a Foreign Office (FO) statement as saying.

The FO explained measures that the government had taken to safeguard the rights of its citizens, including legal and administrative mechanisms.

"Pakistan does not need counsel by any individual country how to protect the rights of its minorities," the statement said.

The FO suggested that honest introspection on Washington's part would have been a timely move in order to ascertain the causes behind the exponential rise in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in the US.

"Sadly, the proponents of human rights worldwide close their eyes to the systematic persecution of minorities subjected to alien domination and foreign occupation...," the statement added.

Blacklisting Pakistan a 'brazen political tactic': Mazari

Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari expressed surprise at the US administration's decision to designate Pakistan among "countries of particular concern", terming it a "brazen political tactic to pressure Pakistan to mitigate US failures in Afghanistan".

The PTI minister, in her official statement on the development, acknowledged that "there is no doubt that Pakistan's record on religions freedom is not ideal" but questioned if "the EU's record" is any better "given the restrictions on churches, the banning of certain dress codes of Mulsims, refusal of entry of certain preachers -- the list continues."

Mazari reminded the US that "in our own neighbourhood we have India where Muslims are being targeted and where the BJP is supporting violence against Muslims ostensibly over beef."

"The timing of the US move smacks of pure political blackmailing because it comes in the wake of Pakistan opening the Katarpur corridor to ease access for the Sikhs of India," the statement reads.

The human rights minister said that she would "like to educate the Trump administration" that a "diverse denominations of Christian churches are present in Pakistan", including Catholic, Methodist, Anglican, Lutheran, Baptist, Presbyterian and others.

Mazari made it clear that the US attempt to pressurise "Pakistan to do its bidding" will not work, directing their attention to Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent remarks that he would net allow the country to be anyone's "hired gun" anymore.

"It is time for the US to take responsibility for its failures in Afghanistan ... and if it is serious about religious freedoms then it needs to examine the record of Modi's India and and some of its EU allies," she added.

Pompeo waives CPC sanctions for Pakistan

A US Embassy spokesperson today told DawnNewsTV that Pompeo, along with placing Pakistan on the list, had concurrently issued a waiver of 'country of particular concern' (CPC) sanctions against Pakistan "as required by 'the important national interest of the United States'."

The spokesperson explained that each country given the CPC designation "presents unique challenges, as well as a different potential for change".

"The measures the United States carries out or waives with respect to a CPC are part of a broader strategy that aims to improve respect for religious freedom in that country," the spokesperson added.

"In certain instances, the Secretary (Pompeo) has determined that a waiver of the Presidential Action was required in the important national interest of the United States."