Nearly a dozen US lawmakers have urged the federal government to withhold future assistance to Pakistan until the Islamic country restores its constitutional order and holds free and fair elections. The lawmakers requested the State Department to assess if US-origin security assistance had facilitated human rights violations in Pakistan.
“We further request that future security assistance be withheld until Pakistan has moved decisively toward the restoration of Constitutional order, including by holding free and fair elections in which all parties are able to participate freely,” they wrote in a letter to State Secretary Anthony Blinken.
On the issue of blasphemy, the lawmakers warned Secretary Blinken that the proposed changes to laws would be used to further tighten the noose around smaller religious groups and minorities, the Dawn newspaper reported, based on a copy of a letter that was making rounds on the internet.
The Congress members who sought restoration of constitutional order and rollback of blasphemy law changes in Pakistan, also said “We are extremely concerned about the passing of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2023 which will strengthen the existing blasphemy law, which has historically been used to persecute religious minorities.” In the letter, the US lawmakers pointed out that the bill, which is yet to be signed by President Joe Biden, was “passed in haste despite repeated calls from many lawmakers for a thorough parliamentary procedure”.
‘Issue of Blasphemy’
Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Pakistan, where even unproven allegations can incite violence by mobs. According to the Centre for Social Justice — an independent group advocating for the rights of minorities — more than 2,000 people in Pakistan have been accused of committing blasphemy since 1987 till May this year, and at least 88 people killed by lynch mobs for similar allegations.
The letter pointed out that on August 16, eight days after the bill was passed in Pakistan’s Parliament, a mob desecrated churches and set fire to homes of Christians in Jaranwala. It also referred to reported protests against the bill, including by the Shia community in Gilgit-Baltistan. “Religious persecution remains rampant in Pakistan, and we are concerned about future restrictions on freedom of religion and belief should this Bill become law,” the lawmakers warned. Besides Congressman Ilhan Omar, the signatories of the letter include Frank Pallone Jr, Joaquin Castro, Summer Lee, Ted W Lieu, Dina Titus, Lloyd Doggett and Cori Bush.
In its latest report on Pakistan, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom noted that “religious minorities were especially vulnerable to prosecution or violence based on blasphemy allegations” and “blasphemy cases remained a substantial threat to religious freedom”. Additionally, the letter stressed the need to address issues like restrictions on freedom of expression, speech, and religion, enforced disappearances, military courts and the harassment and arrest of political opponents and human rights defenders.
Addressing ongoing harassment and arrests, the lawmakers mentioned the cases against jailed prime minister Imran Khan as well, noting that he could potentially face the death penalty for allegedly violating the Official Secrets Act. The letter also mentioned prominent Pakistani human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari who was taken from her home at 3 am in August without an arrest warrant after she spoke at a rally against enforced disappearances.
The lawmakers urged the US Embassy in Islamabad to send observers to hearings and other legal proceedings of human rights defenders and political dissidents, including for emblematic cases such as Khan and Mazari. They also offered to work with Blinken to promote human rights, democracy, and stability in Pakistan.
(With agency inputs)
