Laws protecting religious freedoms not fully enforced in Pakistan: U.S. report

By Gopinath Kumar (Executive Editor)
Sunday, November 28, 2010

USA : Despite the government's efforts to foster communal harmony, "low police to population ratio, corruption, and an overburdened and antiquated court system", violations of religious freedom exist in Pakistan, a U.S. report has said.

Report specifically criticised the persecution of minority groups in Pakistan. The report said that Christians, Sikhs, and Hindus reported governmental and societal discrimination in the country.

The manifestation of this discrimination ranged from defining as illegitimate the children born to Hindu or Christian women even after they converted to Islam after marriage, to difficulties faced by Hindus in importing books from India and persistent discrimination against Hindus, Sikhs, and Ahmadis in admission to higher education institutions.

The report also presented an extensive list of incidents across Pakistan states, in which religious freedoms had been attacked. Most entailed attacks by private citizens and groups on religious minorities and their organisations..