Atrocities against minorities growing rapidly in Pakistan, says activist

May 16, 2019

Geneva (Switzerland), May 16 (ANI): Religious minorities that formed a significant part of the population when Pakistan came into existence have been reduced to a miniscule count owing to an organised clampdown launched against them by the state and the non-state actors. They are reeling under atrocities of highest degrees with state subjecting them to arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances and even cold-blooded homicides. In places where there are not facing an immediate death threat, they are treated as second class citizens and are discriminated on all segments of their daily life including education, employment and even worship. Abusive enforcement of country’s blasphemy laws has further suppressed the life of minorities. The law enforcement agencies have observed the situations as bystanders with religious extremists taking control of the discourse. Recent example being the Asia Bibi case, where the victim faced death row after being framed wrongly and had to leave the country in spite of being acquitted by country’s top court. Away from her homeland, she is living in Canada now. The activists say that these groups which are responsible for the current condition of minority are backed by Islamabad and the government has been complicit in carrying out the crime. While Muslims are accorded all rights guaranteed by Pakistani constitution, the minorities are living under a constant fear. There have been a large number of cases when they have been implicated on false charges.