Daily Times

Pakistan on Tuesday strongly rejected the US for placing it on a list of countries that violates religious freedoms, calling the move “unilateral and arbitrary”.

A press issued by the Foreign Office marked the recent move of the US  against Pakistan as highly prejudiced and biased.

“not only detached from the ground realities of Pakistan but also raises questions on the credibility and transparency of the entire exercise”.

On December 18, 2019, US Department of State had put Pakistan in the list of those countries which discriminate people on the basis of religion and titled the group as “Countries of Particular Concern” — China, North Korea, Myanmar, Eritrea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan also shared the group.

These countries will face negative consequences, including economic sanctions, although Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan have been waived from any sanction by the US government quoting it as “national interest”.

Meanwhile very dramatically, prime minister Modi’s India has not been put on the list. Over which, the FO has shown its concern and describes it as,

“The subjectivity and bias of the State Department’s designations are further illustrated by the conspicuous omission of India, the biggest violator of religious freedom”

On the very ground after opening of Kartarpur corridor to retaining Buddhism prayers after 2000 years in Pakistan and of acquitting of Asia Bibi (after proven innocent) in the blasphemy case to dragging Khadim Rizvi to the sideline, still, Pakistan has been chosen to the anti-religious freedom list — prior remaining in the special watch list last year.

It is also to mention that 40pc of the overall blasphemous accuser are in Pakistani jails.

Yet, the analyst claimed that it is the Washington plot to compel Islamabad in the pursuit of bringing peace amid the Afghan government and Afghan Taliban.