Human Rights Focus Pakistan strongly condemns religious persecution of minorities in Pakistan

Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) has strongly condemned the religious persecutions of minorities in Pakistan and urged the next government to bring legislation of equal status for all communities.

Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) has strongly condemned the religious persecutions of minorities in Pakistan and urged the next government to bring legislation of equal status for all communities. HRFP has highlighted that many people from Christians, Hindus, Ahmdiyya's, Sikhs and other communities have been victimized in different attacks during the last few months.

Human Right Focus Pakistan (HRFP) is a non-government organization (NGO) established in 1994 to work for the promotion and protection of human rights, with special focus to religious minorities, women and children "The newly elected representatives and the government must make legislation for equal status of all citizens as per founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah's vision and thoughts," it stated.

"The recent cases are addition in sufferings and the growing numbers has made minorities more vulnerable," HRFP added. Naveed Walter, the President of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) said that even in the short duration in the year so far, several alarming incidents have been reported.

A murder of Christian youth Waseem Masih is a recent example from the district Faisalabad. The incident happened on January 19 at Chanchal Singh Wala, Faisalabad, during attack at midnight, when Waseem was with his brother Sikandar Masih, Khurram Shahzad and cousin Gulfam Masih attending the funeral of their relative, the report added.

As FIR was registered by Sikandar Masih. Muhammad Zuhaib was arrested while Umair and Hasan were granted pre-arrest bails on January 22 by the session court of Faisalabad. Muhammad Zuhaib is still in jail but is issuing threats through allies for getting released. The family of Waseem Masih is under severe threats and the culprits are demanding them to step back in court proceedings, the HRFP team stated.

The HRFP President also highlighted a major incident from November 9 last year, when Christian youth Farhan Ul Qamar (20) was was killed due to his religious belief. Another Christian youth, Farhan Ul Qamar (20), was also murdered due to his religious beliefs, the report added. In another incident, Aqsa Riaz (17), a Christian girl and resident of the Kasur district, was murdered at midnight on Christmas. She was kidnapped on December 24 evening and her dead body was found near the crops on December 31.

An FIR was registered on December 26 about her kidnapping. Her family has rejected the police investigation report showing that Aqsa was mentally retarded and died by slipping. The HRFP President also highlighted that minorities, as individuals and groups, in both ways are on the targets in Pakistan.

He highlighted recent incidents when Sattar Masih, Arfan Masih and 35 Christian families got ordered by the Department of Irrigation to leave the area during February 2024, even though the families were residing there for several years. Naveed Walter said further that there are several examples of attempts to kidnap and murder Christian.

In Kasur district, Muhammad Ashiq, Muhammad Bilal, Sardar Ali, and Bagh Ali attacked the house of Zaulfiqar Masih and unleashed violence on the whole family. Naveed Walter, president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) said that religious persecutions are mounting, as another case from district Sialkot has revealed that on January 22, two Christian brothers, Azam Masih and Nadeem Masih, were kidnapped by Qaseem Shah and Sunny Shah, both first subjected to physical violence, then forced to convert to Islam; the FIR stated and the HRFP fact-finding team also got the same facts.

Naveed Walter said that the general elections on February 8 could be a new hope for religious minorities in Pakistan if the "new government sets a strategy to make Pakistan for all citizens rather than only for Muslims." Naveed Walter further said that the situation for Pakistani minorities is getting critical, minorities are repeatedly facing the same kind of fatal issues, but no proper mechanism has been established yet.

He also demanded the incoming government provide foolproof protection to minorities in Pakistan as per the Supreme Court of Pakistan recommendations made by Chief Justice Tassadaq Hussain Jillani in 2014. (ANI)

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