Daily Times

US Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin has raised concern about alleged human rights violations in Pakistan. Addressing a gathering of Pakistani Doctors in Michigan, Slotkin emphasized the difficult times Pakistan’s 220 million people who, she claims, are being “deprived of the basic rights of democracy.” She revealed the efforts to gather support from 100 Congressmen to write to the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, urging him to take action to improve the deteriorating situation in Pakistan and restore democratic values.

Last week, Brad Sherman, a US representative of California’s 32nd Congressional district, also called on the Pakistani political parties to respect and abide by the rulings of the Supreme Court. During the same week, former US Special Representative for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, despite being asked by the Pakistan Foreign Office to stay away from domestic issues, dished out unsolicited advice to the incumbent Pakistan government to refrain from proceeding against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

The question that boggles one’s mind is, why have all of them become so deeply concerned, all of a sudden, about human rights issues and the restoration of democratic values in Pakistan? What has prompted them to dish out unsolicited advice to Pakistan?

Without questioning their intent, let us, for a moment, appreciate the concerns so vociferously expressed by Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, Congressman Brad Sherman, former US special representative for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, vis-à-vis the current rights and political situation in Pakistan. Let us also appreciate, in advance, similar concerns that the 100 Congressmen, whose support Ms Slotkin is endeavouring to garner, would perhaps also raise if they decide to jump on the bandwagon of those who have launched a smear campaign against Pakistan.

Shameless desecration of holy places of worship, particularly those of Muslims, by Hindu supremacists, has become a regular feature in one of the so-called world’s largest democracies: India.

Having said that, let us now ask all those who have got down to lambaste Pakistan, where do your conscience, your concerns, and your enthusiasm dissipate when it comes to highlighting and questioning the unparalleled human rights abuses and infringement of democratic values blatantly and ceaselessly occurring in countries other than Pakistan?

The first case in point is India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoJK). 75 years of unparalleled brutalities and human rights abuses were being brazenly committed by close to 900,000 occupied forces of India. The barbarous Indian army is ceaselessly involved in extra-judicial killings, rapes, torture and abuse in the occupied territory. According to some rights groups, more than 100,000 innocent people have lost their precious lives in the occupied territory since 1989.

The second, equally detestable and heart-wrenching case in point is the sufferings of the subjugated and brutally battered Muslim and other minority and ethnic communities in India. Atrocities being blatantly committed by the Hindu supremacists against the Muslims and other minority communities in self-proclaimed liberal and democratic India, with the blessings of the utterly narcissistic incumbent Indian government, is as worse as what is happening in IoJK. Hardly a day passes when something inhuman doesn’t happen against Muslims, other minority communities, and people belonging to the underprivileged segment of Indian society. The social media is replete with Vlogs highlighting horrendous instances of lynching and merciless battering of Muslims, and people belonging to different ethnic groups and minorities every day. Shameless desecration of holy places of worship, particularly those of Muslims, by Hindu supremacists, has become a regular feature in one of the so-called world’s largest democracies – India.

Palestine, where unparalleled brutalities continue to be blatantly committed against the innocent Palestinians, by the profoundly barbaric Israeli forces, is yet another glaring example of human rights abuses in the contemporary world. It is an undeniable fact, the torment that the Palestinians continue to go through at the hands of ruthless Israeli troops, for decades, has no parallel in recent world history. Brutal killing and brazen abuse of innocent Palestinian men, women, and children by the Israeli forces have become the order of the day. The desecration of holy sites and places of worship of the Muslims has also become a routine affair in the war-torn state of Palestine.

One could go on and on, and keep citing umpteen profoundly alarming and heart-wrenching instances of human rights abuses taking place across the globe today. It would not be impertinent to say that this menace is flourishing unabatedly in the self-proclaimed civilized and developed world societies too.

Having cited the factual status of human rights abuses in the countries referred above, one is fully justified in asking the advocates of human rights and democratic values–US Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, Congressman Brad Sherman, former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, and the 100 Congressmen whose support Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin is endeavouring to garner, why be so enthusiastic and concerned about the rights and political situation in Pakistan only? Why Pakistan, where the situation is far, far better than it is in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoJK), India, and Palestine? Why turn a blind eye to the unparalleled rights abuses and brutalities being audaciously and unremittingly committed in the countries cited in this column? What does this reflect? It cogently reflects just one thing, and that is “double standards.”

Under the circumstances, one is fully justified to ask the detractors of Pakistan–US Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, Congressman Brad Sherman, former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad in particular, and the West in general, to rise above prejudice, for once, and build the courage to call a spade a spade. It would be much appreciated by all and sundry, if the US Congresswoman (conscientiously engaged in garnering support to write to the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to improve the deteriorating situation in Pakistan), urges him to take immediate cognizance of the rapidly deteriorating and utterly pathetic human rights situation in India, Palestine, and Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The writer is a columnist based in Islamabad.