MINORITIES IN PAKISTAN

DISCRIMINATION & PERSECUTION

COURSE: PAKISTAN PAST AND PRESENT

HAREEM ALI NAQVI

“No matter what is his color, cast or creed… every citizen shall enjoy the equal rights in the
state of Pakistan.” (Quaid-e-Azam, August 1947).
Undoubtedly, Quaid’s liberal and secular thinking clearly conveyed the message of unity and
harmony with the minorities of different religions. Islam has given clear notions about the rights
of every single mankind. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in his last sermon also emphasize on the
rights of minorities. Quaid’s views on equal rights for minorities clearly reflect the teachings of
Islam.
Minorities are continue to be discriminated and mistreated based on their religion, caste and
creed in almost every country of the world. Sadly, Pakistan is also included in those countries
where religious extremist appear to endeavor to deny religious freedom to the different belief in
Pakistan. The rights of the religious and sectarian minorities are being abducted by these
religious extremists.
Narrow-mindedness between religious groups is prevalent in the world nowadays. It is
constructed on the belief that one religion is superior and that all others are wrong, distorted, or
non-existential (Nussbaum, 2004).
Pakistan is an overpoweringly Muslim community with more than 90 per cent of its inhabitants
adhering to Islam [yet they belong to several doctrinal groups. Sunni Muslims are in the
dominant (85% – 90%), with Shia Muslims (10% – 15%) facing discrimination] (Dr Iftikhar H.
Malik), Hindus accounting for 1.6 percent, Christians for 1.59 percent, Scheduled Castes for 0.25
percent, Ahmadis for 0.22 percent, and other minorities accounting for 0.07 percent, according to
the 2017 Census. The Punjab has the majority of Christians, while Sindh has the majority of
Hindus and Scheduled Castes. Ahmadis are evenly distributed across the country, with some
concentrations in cities such as Islamabad.
Pakistan is an immensely plural country categorized by religious, sectarian and ethno-linguistic
varieties. It was the first government in the world to reassure their minorities about their future
civil liberties by designating a part of national flag (the white hue traditionally symbolizes purity
and goodness) to the minorities, which they have preserved for decades. Even though all three
constitutions (1956, 1962 & 1973) give equivalent human rights to all citizens of the state and
don’t show any form of discrimination among majority and minorities, they also said that non-
Muslim will never get the highest designation of the state such as President and Prime Minister
(Malik, 2002).
The tenure of General Zia was indeed a turning point for Pakistan's Islamization. The part of
Islamization affecting minorities is related to certain laws adopted by the regime occasionally.
The laws on blasphemy consist on a number of laws, the centerpiece being section 295 of the
Penal Code of Pakistan (PPC), which contain blasphemy penalties and other "infringements of
religion," from fine to death penalty.
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The national and international observers have repeatedly condemned these laws as serious
contradictions to freedoms of expression, religion and opinion, and are likely to be used as
instruments for religious persecution of minorities. In 2009, the United Nations Committee on
Elimination of Racial Discrimination observed the discriminatory implementation of Pakistan's
blasphemy laws toward religious minorities' groups
Several more factors combined in the 1970s to contribute to an increase in violent attacks against
minority groups in Pakistan. By the 1980s, violent sectarian violence, particularly against Shia
and Ahmadi communities, had become increasingly widespread.
In recent decades, the authorities in Pakistan have failed continuously to adequately protect
minorities against religious violence. Those promises of crimes committed against non-Muslims
were still not fulfilled, even if some governments made commitments that execute faith crimes.
The failure of the State to combat impunity for these crimes is seen as an unbiased endorsement,
resulting in increased religious intolerance and more open acts of discrimination and violence
against minorities.
The murder of the Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, is a symbolic example of the challenges
of seeking justice for religious crimes in Pakistan. Asia Bibi (a Christian woman with a death
row on blasphemy charges) was spoken by Taseer, who The extremist religious groups have
generated opposition. As a reprimand for his views apparently. Taseer has been killed in cold
blood by one of its people in support of the protection of religious minorities His bodyguards,
who quickly admitted to the assassination. The guard of the body was arrested. A judge gave him
to his confession of remorse and lack of clear incriminating proof Maximum assassination
sentence. The judge and sentences of large groups who saw the guard as a hero of Muslim value
came up with a massive wave of public protests. The judge was therefore forced to flee the land
following the judgement, as the authorities felt that they could not protect him from street mobs
and violence. Although Taseer's killer was convicted, this case shows how violence against
minorities is not only tolerated by public support and how the fight for justice for this crime
based on faith is hard won, even when the evidence was clear and confessed.
If we talk about the role of media in this, we found that, Over the last two decades the reach and
diversity of Pakistani media has increased massively. Before 2004, mainstream news stories
were only reproduced in newspapers. Today, a broader variety of perspectives can be portrayed
by Pakistani audiences, independent published and electronic media. Nonetheless, the concerns
of the minorities, their activities and events in the media remain a considerable prejudicial factor.
On June 17, PEMRA has imposed ban on two private tv channels over the violation of the code
of conduct set up by the media surveillance for promoting “controversial and sectarian views”
(twitter: @reportpemra)
Popular Pakistani actor Hamza Ali Abbasi banned from hosting the Ramzan transmission over a
controversial content on a show.
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Pakistan’s media regulatory authority said that “it took action after receiving 1,133 complaints
in four days” (source:https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/341619-Pemra-bans-Hamza-Ali Abbasis-
Ramazan-show)
This controversy arose when Hamza Ali Abbasi, a co-host of AAJ NEWS program “Ramzan
Hamara Iman” questioned the victimization of Ahmadis. He said, “The community is being
suppressed but if you talk about it, people say “You’re from that community that’s why you’re
saying this.” said Hamza. “I am not an Ahmadi, I am a Sunni Muslim.” He further questioned
that why Ahmadis were not guaranteed their fundamental rights in Pakistan and whether the
state has a right to declare whether a particular community is or is not Kafir. He added that he
would be discussing the Ahmadi community and Pakistan’s blasphemy laws on his program in
more detail at the end of Ramadan (source: https://youtu.be/-8I4a1aSvMY)
In response, a harsh feedback was reported in another private tv show on TV ONE “Ishq-e-
Ramzan” which was hosted by Shabbir Abu Talib. In the program, a hardline Islamic cleric
Allama Kokab Noorani, who was a guest on the Ramzan transmission, was reported to threaten
Hamza Ali Abbasi with severe consequence. (Source: clip 4:48 – 5:19
https://youtu.be/DQzXybT1Qso)
PEMRA issued notices under section 27, directives referred to the clause no 1 (a, b, d and f)
which was violated by hosts [Hamza Ali Abbasi & Shabbir Abu Talib] and Islamic cleric
Allama Kokab Noorani. These clauses stated that :
1) No content is aired which-
a) is against the Islamic values, ideology of Pakistan or founding fathers of the nation including
Quaid-e-Azam and Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal;
b) incites or condones dislodgement of democratic setup against the command of the
constitution of Pakistan, provided that discussions on improvement of democracy shall
constitute a fair comment.
d) passes derogatory remarks about any religion, sect, community or uses visuals or words
contemptuous of religious sects and ethnic groups or which promote communal and sectarian
attitude or disharmony;
f) contains abusive comment that incites hatred and contempt against any individual or group of
persons, on the basis of race, caste, nationality, ethnic or linguistic origin, color, religion, sect,
gender, age, mental or physical disability;
Media discrimination against the Ahmadi community is particularly acute. Hat camps were
conducted in an organised manner against Ahmadis by means of auto stickers, wall customs and
pamphlets distribution. The clerics openly urge their followers to kill Ahmadis in Khatam
e Nabuwat conferences across Pakistan. The media are often concerned with this hate speech,
although it rarely questions the credibility of such statements, nor is the view of the Ahmadis
presented.
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In its 2018 election manifesto "PTI will protect minority civilian, social and religious rights, their
places of worship, property and the institutions as provided for in a constitution," currently ruling
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, led by Khan. Two important vows were made
among the promises of "Naya Pakistan," which still require the attention of the government:
ensuring equal justice and protecting minorities from violence, hate speech and discrimination.
Pakistan has been mostly concerned with a constitutional crisis and civil-military relations
throughout 2019. The state of religious freedom was nevertheless constantly in danger behind the
scenes. Religious minorities still faced discrimination and persecution, including misuse of the
anti-blasphemy legislation, forced conversion and enforced disappearances of girls from outside
Muslims. Prior to establishing the government in particular, Khan promised the protection,
irrespective of faith and ethnicity, of minorities and equal justice for every citizen.
But the other side of all this is that in a recent report by a Pakistani think-tank has rejected claims
from various international and domestic NGOs that the country's minority community had to
convert to Islam.
The study published by the Institute of Political Studies (IPS is titled Forced conversions and
faith conversions: rhetoric and reality. The NGO reports were described as 'out of proportion,'
and the 'empirical evidence' lacked. The IPS report, citing some Dalit (lower caste Hindus)
activists, said that the privileged Hindus upper class plans to maintain their dominance in the
emerging class of Dalits to "forced" conversion.
The think-tank citing a recent report written by Asif Aqeel a Christian scholar, argued that "the
evidence shows that the question of forced conversion and marriage is much more complex than
the media headlines." This report alleges that in Pakistan almost 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls
are kidnapped, forcibly converted, and married each year.
The Dalit activist, who is also a member of the Pakistan People's Party, said that Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh against Pakistan used the issue of forced conversions as international tool.
According to the study, "more disturbing" facts are that the Indian government cited this "forced
conversion" storey to adopt the highly controversial anti-Muslim Citizenship Amendment Act
and build international pressure against Pakistan.
Different groups of rights have long been accused of the abduction and forcing of religious
changes by minority girls, particularly in the Sindh Province, which houses 95% of the Hindus
population. The report found that 92 per cent of Pakistan's Hindu population is comprised of
Dalits who cannot marry their girls in Hindu families of the higher class. In the Hindu religion,
too, cousin marriages are prohibited. Hindu and Christian boys also converted in several cases to
marry Muslim girls.
In this reporting period, there have been some positive developments. Aasia Bibi, a Christian
woman imprisoned for nearly a decade on false blasphemy accusations, was finally released and
was able to flee the country. As a response to the release of Aasia in October 2018, a number of
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hardliners under the leadership of Khadim Rizvi were violently protesting in November 2018 led
by Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP). The authorities have held firm and taken into custody TLP
leadership and workers for destabilising the law and order situation in Pakistan.
Also, the government has recently made a number of excellent and encouraging steps, including
the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims and the Katas Raj temple complex for
Hindu pilgrims. Sardar Pawan Singh Arora, Pakistan's first Sikh officer, has been appointed as
the Punjab Governor's public relations officer. Members of the Hindu community have recently
begun to enlist in the Pakistan Army. Dr. Kelash Garvada, Pakistan's first Hindu officer, has
been promoted to major in the Ministry of Defense. Forced conversions and weddings of non-
Muslim females have also been condemned by Prime Minister Imran Khan as being against
Islam and thus wrong.

CONCLUSION:
Pakistan is a country of plurality that could bring numerous improvements to equal citizenship
based on unrestricted human rights. This can only be done if the leaders and opinion-makers of
the country act more responsibly and avoid hatred through tolerance and harmony. The
overwhelming majority of Pakistan is tolerant and in favor of giving minorities and women equal
rights. A recent (1997) major national survey indicated that the majority of the public wanted to
have a tolerant and progressive Pakistan.
As a result, 74 percent of the groups were in favor of the ban on sectarian groups; 81 percent
were in favor of stopping hatred of khutbas (sermons) in mosques; 59 percent were in favour of
women's restrictions of the Taliban type; 63 percent believed that men's and women's evidence
would be given equal weight; 74 percent supported familial planning; and 74 percent – an
overwhelmingly high proportion of them.
The role of the different activist groups, human rights NGOs and the Think Tanks representing
Pakistan's civil society takes centre stage in the fight against this disillusionment. Initially, these
groups seek to curb statistical unilateralism while attempting to create a greater consciousness of
the righteousness and inviolability of equal citizenry. At another critical level, they arrange civil
groups to play an effective local role in safeguarding the plurality of the pakistani society
through documentation and active lobbying.
Despite the challenges they face, minorities love their country and have continued to serve it in a
variety of ways — the country for which their forefathers made supreme sacrifices during the
independence movement, contributed to its development in various sectors, and stood by in good
times and bad.
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REFERENCE:
Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s first presidential address to the constituent assembly of
Pakistan.
(http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00islamlinks/txt_jinnah_assembly_1947.html)
Nussbaum, M.C (2004). Religious intolerance. Foreign policy.
Malik, D. I. (2002). Religious Minorities in Pakistan. London: Minority Right Group
International.
Census. Census of Pakistan 1951. Karachi: Government of Pakistan, Manager of Publications,
1951.
Census. Census of Pakistan 1998. Islamabad: Population Census Organization Statistics
Division, 2000.
Census. Census: Population by Religion: Pakistan. Islamabad: Population Census Organization,
Statistics Division, 2004.
(http://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files//tables/POPULATION%20BY%20RELIGION.pdf)
Religious Minorities in Pakistan By Dr Iftikhar H. Malik
(https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/469cbfc30.pdf)
Pakistan panel code (Act XLV of 1860).
http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/legislation/1860/actXLVof1860.html
Concluding observations of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 16
March 2009, para 19:
(https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CERD
%2fC%2fPAK%2fCO%2f20&Lang=en)
FIDH/HRCP – Minorities under attack: Faith-based discrimination and violence in Pakistan
(https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/57fb91e54.pdf)
PEMRA code of conduct (https://pemra.gov.pk/uploads/legal/Code_of_Conduct.pdf)
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Forced Conversions or Faith Conversions: Rhetoric and Reality (https://www.ips.org.pk/forced-