The United States on Tuesday added Pakistan to the list of countries that violate religious freedom and it has hardly come as a surprise for Pakistanis.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Pakistan has been added to ‘countries of particular concern’ under the Religious Freedom Act 1998 in an annual report which means that US is obliged to put pressure on Pakistan to end religious freedom violations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjM98s9OB7k&t=7s
In response to the move, Pakistan has handed a protest letter to US diplomats and dismissed being blacklisted, calling the move ‘unilateral and politically motivated’. Pakistan told the US dignitaries that the minorities in the country enjoy full freedom and that it does not need US to ‘lecture’ Pakistan over minority rights.
Moreover, Pakistan has also protested over US ignorance of Indian atrocities in the Occupied Kashmir.
https://twitter.com/betterpakistan/status/1072759912793559040
https://twitter.com/FarhatullahB/status/1072535418447556610
https://twitter.com/reema_omer/status/1072529163175768065
https://twitter.com/abdalian4ever/status/1072553678773600257
https://twitter.com/ImaanZHazir/status/1072789947059449857
https://twitter.com/_GhulamMustafa_/status/1072549656020824064
The move has come weeks after US President Donald Trump expressed willingness to work with Pakistan for peace in Afghanistan. Will it disregard the little progress made?
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Pakistan has been added to ‘countries of particular concern’ under the Religious Freedom Act 1998 in an annual report which means that US is obliged to put pressure on Pakistan to end religious freedom violations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjM98s9OB7k&t=7s
In response to the move, Pakistan has handed a protest letter to US diplomats and dismissed being blacklisted, calling the move ‘unilateral and politically motivated’. Pakistan told the US dignitaries that the minorities in the country enjoy full freedom and that it does not need US to ‘lecture’ Pakistan over minority rights.
Moreover, Pakistan has also protested over US ignorance of Indian atrocities in the Occupied Kashmir.
For social media believers, however, the US decision has not come as a big surprise
'Another diplomatic failure'
https://twitter.com/betterpakistan/status/1072759912793559040
‘A reminder that religious freedoms are guaranteed only in theory, not in practice’
https://twitter.com/FarhatullahB/status/1072535418447556610
‘A move that could potentially entail economic sanctions’
https://twitter.com/reema_omer/status/1072529163175768065
We need to go back to the basics, perhaps
https://twitter.com/abdalian4ever/status/1072553678773600257
‘We shouldn't need the US or anyone else telling us we have a problem’
https://twitter.com/ImaanZHazir/status/1072789947059449857
‘Can’t trust Trump’
https://twitter.com/_GhulamMustafa_/status/1072549656020824064
The move has come weeks after US President Donald Trump expressed willingness to work with Pakistan for peace in Afghanistan. Will it disregard the little progress made?