Pakistan rejects U.S. designation in terms of religious freedom
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) : Pakistan has criticized the U.S. “unilateral and arbitrary” designation in terms of religious freedom, saying the move is not only detached from the country’s ground realities but also raises questions about the credibility and transparency of the entire U.S. exercise.
The U.S. Department of State on Dec. 18 re-designated Pakistan and several other countries as “Countries of Particular Concern” in terms of religious freedom.
The Foreign Ministry of Pakistan angrily reacted to the U.S. decision and said the designation “is reflective of selective targeting of countries, and thus unlikely to be helpful to the professed cause of advancing religious freedom.”
The ministry made it clear that Pakistan is a multi-religious and pluralistic country where people of all faiths enjoy religious freedom under constitutional protections.
“All branches — the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary — have made concerted efforts to ensure that all citizens of Pakistan, irrespective of faith, denomination, caste or creed, can profess and practice their religion in full freedom,” a foreign ministry statement said. Enditem
