RELIGIOUS MINORITIES IN PAKISTAN AND SECURITY SECTOR REFORMS
Research Article
Religious Minorities in Pakistan and Security Sector Reforms
M Osama Shafiq
Abstract
The
article critically analyses the factors impacting the inculcation of minorities
in Pakistan. The factors range from religion to politics and laws as well as the
general perceptions of the people. Finally, the paper tries
to come up with elaborate measures to end the oppression of minorities and to safeguard their rights through reforms.
Both the
political and intellectual elite of Pakistan are in a continuous struggle to
establish the level and limits to which the people should adhere to Islam as
the reference point of their national identity. The religious people maintain
that Pakistan was to be a country for the Muslims where they could live in line
with the Islamic values, and Pakistan was to serve as a "laboratory to practice Islam" as
a way of life. However, a small stratum of the liberals lays emphasis on the
secular leanings of the founding fathers.[1]
Non-Muslim
religious minorities constitute up to 4 percent of the total population of Pakistan.
Christians and Hindus are the larger minority groups while Ahmadiyyas, Sikhs and
others form smaller minority groups based on the demographic data. The
minorities have rendered great services in the national development particularly
in the field of science, economics, health, education, sports, judiciary, military, law-making, law and enforcement.
The
maltreatment of minorities has brought harsh criticism from domestic, regional
and global human rights watchdogs. The violence against minorities has been
virtually legalized by the poor investigative process of the Blasphemy Law, and the UNHRC and the UNCSIRF reports
indicate that the victimization of minorities is also promoted by the curriculum of
Pakistan.
1. Introduction
Pakistan
was carved out as a Muslim-majority homeland in the Indian sub-continent in
1947. Around 14 million people crossed borders at the time of the Partition. Almost 8 million came to live in Pakistan. Founding Fathers wanted to create a homeland for the Muslims in South Asia. So, non-Muslims had to enter into a covenant with the newly formed Dominion of Pakistan.
At the
time of the Partition, about 23 percent of the total population belonged to the
non-Muslims.[2]
However according to the Pakistan Demographic Profile, religious minorities
constitute only 3.6 percent of the total population with just 9 million
inhabitants.[3]
Chrisitans are the largest minority group followed by the Hindus while Sikhs, Ahmadiyyas,
Zoroastarians, Baha’is and Kalashas form smaller minority groups.
Minorities
have contributed a lot towards the national development and achievement of
state policies in Pakistan. They brought home accolades of global magnitude. They
are running some of the best schools, colleges, universities and hospitals in
Pakistan.[4]
Dr. Abdus Salam belonged to Ahmadiyya community. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics
in 1979, and became the first Pakistani and the second person from an Islamic
country to do so. However, his return as a Nobel Laureate was marred by the
criticism of his religious beliefs rather than appraisal of his academic
achievements.
The
vision of the the great Quaid was to establish Pakistan as a state conceived in
the principles of equality, rights, justice and freedom to all:
You
are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your
mosques or to any other place or worship in this State of Pakistan. You may
belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the
business of the State.[5]
Islam has
had emotional significance in the Pakistani society. Political and military
elite utilized the religion to manage public opinion. Minorities ended up as
the casualty to the blatant use of religion for political gains.[6]
Objectives Resolution legalized the beginning of a cleansing process in
Pakistan. In one of his writings, Maulana Maududi contended that non-Muslim culture had
a blasting impact on Muslim life.[7]
Discrimination and
violence against the powerless minorities poses a grave danger to the society. The
very first acts of marginalization and violence against religious minorities in
Pakistan began with the anti-Ahmadiyya riots in the 1950s. The Ahmadiyyas were
subjugated, their rights were persecuted and masses were banished in exiled.
Various
commission reports were written to avoid such unfortunate events in future.
However, they proved to be futile efforts as in the subsequent governments of
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (known for his secular leanings), the acts of violence
against minorities got constitutional sword and shield. Islamic provisions and
Blasphemy Law was added to the constitution in the name of
protection and preservation of religious values. First off, Ahmadiyyas were
clearly written off as non-Muslims in 1974 "to protect Islam from heretical
believes" and later minorities were persecuted by unlawful use of the newly
framed Blasphemy Law. Under Zia
regime, the orthodoxy and extremism was promoted as a state policy. Minorities were once
again at the receiving end of it.
After the nine-eleven, the anti-minority extremism got worse. Islamophobia was on the rise in the West.
Muslims all around the globe faced serious concerns, and as a banal response religious
minorities in the Muslim world were victimized. Pakistan was no different. Many
non-Muslims wrongly became victims of the Blasphemy Law. Extremism was
in vogue. Governor of the Punjab, Salman Taseer was murdered for coming in
support of minorities and for criticizing the Law.
Untill
now, Quaid’s vision remains unfulfilled. Pakistan slid down the slope of
intolerance and religious extremism during the last 68 years of its existence.
Insecurities over identity, quest for an ideological state, Islamization and
militarism pushed Pakistan inexorably downhill.
Aim of the Study
The
research paper is aimed at understanding the role of minorities in Pakistan and
the outset of violence against them. The research article is primarily focused
on the maltreatment of minorities after 9/11, particulalry as a reactive energy to the rise
of Islamophobia in the West. The article also discusses the solutions sought by the government to
accommodate minorities in Pakistan after the National Action Plan (NAP).
The study also looks at the factors which brought international outcry and
exodus of minorities from Pakistan.
Scope and Delimitation
The study
is solely based on the acts of violence conducted against the non-Muslim
religious minorities. Therefore, the research paper does not include cases of
the ethnic violence which may have religious or sectarian colour of any nature
i.e, the Hazara genocide linked to anti-Shia extremism. The study focuses on
the post-9/11 time-frame.
Questions to be Addressed
What are
the issues of minorities in Pakistan?
What is
the state response to accommodate minorities?
How
Blasphemy Law has been used?
What is
the implication of these issues for Pakistan at global stage?
Which
steps have been taken by the government to address the issue after the National Action Plan?
Literature Review
Violation of minority rights in Pakistan
is a major domestic concern. The literature review is a theoretical
framework and vast amount of literature is available on the subjects of
maltreatment and rehabilitation of minorities. But with the insight of the
post-9/11 and then, the post-NAP nature of the study, I have selected, reviewed and
cited various news, articles, interviews, reports and book reviews related to
the topic of this research.
The research is largely stirred by the
book “Purifying the Land of the Pure” by Farahnaz Ispahani, the wife of
the former Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, Hussain Haqqani. The book met harsh
criticism from religious and political hardcore sentiments in Pakistan; often being
dubbed as a strike at the ideological bases and political history of Pakistan.
However, the book was a huge success
internationally and the author was lauded for her veracious assessment of the
minority issues. Asma Jahangir described the
book as:
"an amazing account of
the manner in which Pakistan's laws were instrumental in perpetuating injustice
and encouraging brute force by religious militants with impunity"[8]
Finally, articles and reports from the global media have been selected to justify and cater the issue. Security
Sector Reforms are based upon UN recommendations asking for legal reforms and
political landscaping for minorities.
History of Violence
Pakistan
came into being as a result of the Partition of British India. The motive was
to 'protect' the rights of the largest religious minority i.e, the Muslims from Hindus. At
the time of the Partition, nearly one-quater of the population was non-Muslim. The turmoil of communal clashes and the
movement of refugees across the entire sub-continent during the Partition
shuffled all the demographic data.
Early Decades
Founder of the Nation, Mohammad
Ali Jinnah was a western-educated lawyer. He had envisioned a modern country in which every single person would enjoy all freedoms. Where religious rights would be practiced and not purged. To make the
point, Jinnah appointed a prominent political activist from Ahmadiyya
community, Zafrullah Khan[9]
as Pakistan's first Foreign Minister. Jinnah also chose a Hindu, Jogendar Nath Mandal[10]
as the country’s first Law Minister. It is right to assume that Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah
is misappropriated to make a case for brazen vitriol against the people of other
faiths.
Unlike
the Father of the Nation, the first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan lead the
faction of the Muslim League leaders who saw Jinnah’s Presidential Address to
the first Constituent Assembly of the Dominion of Pakistan as an 'abandonment of
the two-nation theory'. Liaquat and his supporters resisted Jinnah’s plans to
secularize Pakistan. He was backed by the bureaucracy and together Liaquat and
the early establishment even tried to suppress Jinnah’s speech.
It was
done by passing of the Objectives Resolution, which was heavily criticized by
the liberal minds and the minorities in Pakistan. Bhupendra Kumar Dutta, a
Hindu politician from East Bengal province (Now Bangladesh), warned that the resolution would lead to
discrimination against the non-Muslims, and to internecine battles among the Muslims
later.[11]
In the view of former Prime Minister Husseyn
Shaheed Suhrawardy, the Muslim League government failed to ensure the rights,
safety and security of the non-Muslims. According to him, a state based on any
religion that did not protect its minorities would fail to conduct successful
business, commerce and trade within the state and with other international
actors. With remarkable vision, the Bengali leader
predicted that the lawless fundamentalist elements will target the Muslim gentry, once the religious minorities are pushed to wall. He
also warned against the preoccupation of religious fervour by indicating the
'segregation of voters into religious communities'.[12]
The
debate in Pakistan’s Constituent Assembly during the 1950s was primarily
focused to satisfy the demands of the fundamentalists. The chants for an Islamic
state were voiced by Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, Pir of Manki
Sharif and Maulana Akram Khan. The theme and argument for the steps required
to transform Pakistan into a conservative Islamic republic was provided by Abul Ala Maududi,
the founder of the Jamaat-e-Islami.[13]
As a result, within just three years of existence,
the first Law Minister voiced the fear that religious diversity and tolerance was in danger. Eventually, Mandal left Pakistan.
Violence against Ahmadiyyas broke out in 1950s. As many as 2000 members of
Ahmadiyya Community were murdered in Punjab, in 1953. General Ayub
Khan took the reins in 1956. He saw Hinduism and communism as equal threats to
Pakistan. Khan made clear, his low regard for the Hindus and bluntly expressed his
steadfast views on why they could never be friends with Pakistan.[14]
In came the War of
1965. The Pakistani press portrayed the war as a Hindu-Muslim war won by
Pakistan. As Farahnaz Ispahani
notes:
Throughout the war there were widespread rumours of
Pakistan’s Hindus and Christians operating as spies or facilitators for the
invading army. Hindus were described in movies, television plays and patriotic
songs as enemies of Islam and Pakistan, while Christians were portrayed as
instruments of Western imperialists.[15]
Radicalization
In 1971,
the East Pakistan wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami sided with the Pakistani military
to crack down on its fellow Muslim and non-Muslim citizens in East Pakistan.
Bengali Muslims were often portrayed as “too Hindu” to be true Muslims.
The 1972
Census revealed that out of a total population of 62.4 million, Hindus amounted
to 899,000, then falling below Christians, who numbered 907,861.[16] Christians had been serving the nation in the education, health and social
sectors. Unfortunately, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto nationalised their institutions.
General
Zia legalised the Islamization of Pakistan and portrayed himself as a 'soldier
of Islam' as well as the undeclared commander-in-chief of the faithfuls. He
ordered large-scale manipulation of the history and indoctrination of
children through textbooks. Thus, he tried to raise a generation of religious fundamentalists.
M.A.
Jinnah, who usually wore a Western attire and enjoyed a European lifestyle
playing snooker and smoking cigars, was beginning to be seen in the new portraits, wearing
Sherwani and his popular Jinnah cap, rather than an English hat, which he would normally wear in the bright sunny afternoons of India. Anti-Ahmadiyya violence escalated
during this phase. Ahmaddiyas were banned from performing call to prayer
through a Presidential Ordinance in 1984.[17]
Islamic laws were brought in apparently to create Nizam-e-Mustafa. In July
1988, Karachi’s synagogue was demolished on the direct orders of
General Zia. The
net-effect of his policies was the creation of a rigid Islamic image of
Pakistan, one with exclusively Muslim population.
Enlightened Deception
Musharraf
regime, starting from October 1999 till August 2008, began with a promise to
end decades long violence against minorities in Pakistan. Since taking oath of the
office, General Musharraf projected himself as a liberal leader inspired by Mustafa Kemal. Referring to the menace
of religious intolerance, General Musharraf stated that Islam taught:
Tolerance
not hatred, universal brotherhood and not enmity, peace and not violence,
progress and not bigotry.[18]
He urged
upon the Ulemas to help curb the elements that were exploiting religion for their vested interests. He reassured the minorities
that they would enjoy full rights and protection as equal citizens of Pakistan
in the true letter and spirit of Islam by maintaining law and order, and
ensuring the provision of quick justice. But hardly any success was seen on these fronts.
However,
General Musharraf was successful in introducing legal and political reforms.
According to Legal Framework Order 2002, 10 seats for minorities were reserved in
the National Assembly of Pakistan. He expressed his concerns over the violence
against minorities and announced to introduce procedural changes in the
Blasphemy Law to protect the minorities from its misapplication.
However, Musharraf also made Muttahida Majlis e Amal (MMA), a religious coalition,
part of his government. The coalition partners blocked way for reforms. Therefore, he failed to deliver on his promise to bring amendments to the Blasphemy
Law
2. Minority Groups
The UN
Human Rights Commission defines religious minorities as:
A
group of citizens of a state, consisting of a numerical minority and in a
non-dominant position in that state, endowed with ethnic, religious, or
linguistic characteristics which differ from those of the majority of the
population, having a sense of solidarity with one another, motivated, if not
implicitly, by a collective will to survive and whose aim is to achieve
equality with the majority in fact and in law.[19]
The
Constitution of Pakistan also divides citizens as Muslims and non-Muslims.
Under Islamic law, the non-Muslim subjects were called
Al-Dhimmi, the people of pledge.[20]
They paid Jizya to the state for their protection from internal and external
threats.[21]
Jizya was a natural justice because Muslims were also bound to pay Zakat.
The minorities
in Pakistan can be classified into two groups. First of all, they are part of
global religions like Christianity and Hinduism and also dominate Pakistan’s
minority demographics. Christians and Hindus together form 3.2 percent of the
total population of Pakistan. Some minorities are part of targeted
community that are victimized by organized legal, political and societal efforts i.e, the Ahmadiyya community. This group also includes other minorities that
are smaller in population like Sikhs, Baha’i and Parsis.
Larger Groups
Christians
The
Catholic Church records put the approximate percentage of Christians to
2.8 percent, considerably higher than the official stats. According
to 1981 census, around 1.3 million Christians resided in Pakistan while their numbers rose up to 2.6 million in 1998 census. Christian Study Centre reports
that by setting quota for minorities on low-scale jobs, they have become a
target of severe inequality in the society.[22]
Hindus
At the
time of the Partition, Hindus constituted upto 20 percent of the total
population in Pakistan. However, the number fell to 1.2 million according to
1981 census and by 1998 the number rose to 2.4 million and most of them reside
in Sindh.
Smaller Groups
Ahmadiyyas
By 1998
Census, Ahmadiyyas formulate 0.2 percent of the population. The Ahmadiyyas are
further divided into the Lahori and Qadiani groups. Most of the Ahmadiyya
people live in the Central Punajb
region. In 1981 there were 100,000 Ahmadiyyas living in Pakistan. Their number
are hard to estimate due to hiding identities in fear of violence but they are
believed to be around 200,000.
Sikhs
The Sikhs
are predominantly found in Punjab, while they also live in Karachi, Khyber
Pakhtunkhuwa and FATA. The Sikhs in the tribal areas are bilingual and
have a close relationship with Sikhs in Afghanistan. In 1981, there were about
2,500 Sikhs[23]
living in Pakistan. However their number is estimated to be more than 10,000
now.
Parsis
Parsis
are urban business elite based in Karachi and Lahore. According to 1981 census,
some 7,000 Parsis resided in Pakistan. However, due to rising violence in the
country, well-to-do Parsis left the country for the West.
Baha’is
The
Baha’is are middle-class urbanites who keep a very low profile. They are safe from any collective or organized
effort of victimization.
Kalashas
Some
3,000 Kalashas reside in Chitral valley. They enjoy distinct culture and
religion but have been targets of fundamentalists, particularly the Taliban and the Uzbek
fighter.[24]
2. Problems of Minorities
History
suggests that Pakistan’s leadership is responsible for
ignoring the past and present problems of the non-Muslims. Civil and
military establishment have converted the country into an Islamic garrison,
contrary to the Jinnah’s vision of a modern pluralist nation. The biggest
problem of minorities in Pakistan is the confusion over the extent of Islamic nature of the state. This point has been a cause of struggle and bone of
contention between different factions within the Muslim majority
as well.[25]
Legal
Liaquat
Ali Khan introduced the Objectives Resolution to mould the country into an Islamic cast:
Liaquat
led the way in creating a national narrative for Pakistan that perpetuated the
sense of Islamic victimhood.[26]
Objectives
Resolution allowed the state to function "within the limits" set out
in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah, thus opening the door for further Islamic legislation. Successive
rulers passed various laws to maintain the influence of Islam on Pakistan by
legal means. Because of these laws, minorities face sheer sidelining, violence
and suppression. Minorities have been barred from becoming the Heads of the
State [Article 41(2)] or the Heads of Government [Article (91)(3)]. Similarly, Article 2
of the Constitution states that Islam is the official religion. Article 31
binds the government to foster an Islamic way of life.[27]
Sections
298B and 298C of the Pakistan Penal Code forbids public discussion or practice
of the Ahmadiyya faith, and terms it as a criminal activity. Minorities are also
effected by the the evacuee trust law, under which they are not allowed to
renovate a temple, albeit build a new one.[28]
Poltical
According to former Prime Minister Huseyn Shaheed
Suharwardy, the rhetoric of an Islamic state was responsible for causing the insecurity among the non-Muslims.[29]
In 1974, the
Political Leadership gave in to the pressure from religious right and declared
the Ahmadiyyas as non-Muslims. This shows a lack of political will to address
the issues of minorities in Pakistan. Ataullah Shah Bukhari belied that for a Muslim, to
be a faithful citizen of a non-Muslim government was highly unlikely. He had
the same opinion for non-Muslims in the Muslim majority states. General Zia, when told
about the International furor to his maltreatment of Ahmadiyya, remaked:
Ahmadis offend me because they consider themselves
Muslim. Ordinance XX may violate human rights but I don’t care.
It was
not until the time of General Musharraf that minorities had their voices heard
in the corridors of parliament. However, they expressed concerns over
non-inclusion of their representatives in the committees.[30]
Hindus have faced severe violence and exodus. Yet, not even a single Hindu
representative had been included in the National Action Plan Committee.
In
Pakistan, political parties have minority wings but they have been criticized
to keep loyal people and not the efficient ones. The society shows disregard for
the rights of its minority populations and there is unwillingness on part of
the politicians and the policy-makers to confront the extremists. Chief
Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa deems them suitable for job only as sanitary work, for which the Chairman Pakistan United Christian Movement Albert David had demanded an apology from the Chief Minister.[31]
Societal
Violent
mobs routinely attack the places of worship of minorities and forcibly convert
them. Intelligentsia have tolerated intolerance and
prejudice instead of following much nobler precedence from the Muslim history. The
intolerance cuts across all classes and it is borne out of religious dogma and
xenophobic nationalism. Reforms kept aside, even the debate on the issue is
hard to consume by the society. Pakistani nationalism has become synonymous with the Islamic fundamentalism. Sherry Rehman noted that violence against minorities in
Pakistan is part of a much larger trend followed in the South Asia.[32]
The defendants of the "blasphemy" have been burnt alive. As a reaction to the
Babri mosque incident in India, various Hindu temples in Balochistan were
grounded.[33]
An entire
generation studying in public and private schools has grown up viewing only
non-Muslims as “unpatriotic”. It is down to the
fact that there is lack of attention towards producing critical thinking and
broad-mindedness. People try to force others to come to their point and the
society lacks the habit of positive exchange of ideas.
Minorities are offered
odd-jobs and only 10 percent of the Christians enjoy better than average living standards.[34] Shahnaz
Sheedi, a provincial coordinator for the South Asia Partnership Pakistan opined
that minorities were facing insecurity. Ravi Dawani, blamed school
curriculum for spreading hate.[35]
International Silence
The West
turned a blind eye to Zia's violent domestic policies during the 1980s. As USA and her NATO allies needed Pakistan on their side against the Soviet Union. Eventually, the secular
voices in the country had to come to a pragmatic yet unwanted solution. The
army continued to control and there was little progress in safeguarding the rights of the
religious minorities. International pressure was merely confined to moral
appeals and petitions for human rights. Money
from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries came in for Madrassas and other
schools to bring curricular changes to produce extremist mind-sets.[36]
Blasphemy Law
The history
of Blasphemy Law in Indian sub-continent dates back to the British Raj. The British used the law to specifically target and prosecutes clerics and
authors who tried to cause violence among communities and created civil unrest. Section
295 of the Pakistan Penal Code defines the Blasphemy Law. The primary purpose of
this law is stated as the protection of Islamic values and ideals. Moreoever, it is meant to venerate the sanctity of the Holy Koran and the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
General Zia added the following sub-sections to the Penal Code.
Section
295 B (added in 1982) reads:
Whoever
willfully defiles, damages or desecrates a copy of the Holy Koran or an extract
therefrom or uses it in any derogatory manner or for any unlawful purpose shall
be punished with imprisonment for life.[38]
Section
295 (C) (added in 1986) reads:
Whoever
by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation, or by any
imputation, innuendo or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiles the seared
name of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) shall be punished with death or
imprisonment for life, and shall be liable to fine.[39]
Evidence suggests that Section 295 (C) has become a virtual death sentence while large
number of blasphemy cases are merely tools of vengeance over personal
disputes. Prior to 1986, 14 cases of blasphemy had ever been reported. However,
the numbers swell up to 1,300 between 1986 and 2010. The opposition towards
Blasphemy Law has met harsh response from the state and society. Those with
liberal and anti-Law views have been silenced.
General
Musharraf tried to introduce step-by-step measure to bring procedural and investigative changes to the Blasphemy
Law in order to protect minorities. But these
proved to be futile efforts as coalition partners like Muttahida Majlis e Amal
disregarded such moves in the parliament.
According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 34 individuals were charged with blasphemy in 2013, with half of the cases registered against minorities who constitute less than 4 percent of the total population.[37] Recently Asia Bibi, Rimsha Masih and Ryan Stanten
had been accused of Blasphemy. Rimsha Masih was cleared of all
charges on the base of the lack of evidence whereas Asia Bibi and Ryan Stanten went
into hiding and later relocated abroad alongwith their families.
3. Persecution of Minorities
Since its
inception in 1947, Pakistani elite has been using religious, political and
legal tools to incite Muslim mobs to attack the non-Muslims and burn their properties
to ashes based on false accusations.
In 1956,
the Second Constituent Assembly named Pakistan "The Islamic Republic of
Pakistan" and put legal barricades on the election of non-Muslims as the Heads
of the State or the Government.[40]
Minorities have been the targets of suicide bomb attacks, faced forced
conversions and destruction of their places of worship. Even, their graveyards and cemeteries are
not safe. Reports suggest that a large number of graves had been excavated and vandalized. Well-to-do minorities have been the targets
of the kidnappings for the sake of ransom.
In 2007,
Minority Rights Group International reported Pakistan as the country with
highest rise in threats to minorities. US Commission on International
Religious Freedom accused Pakistan among the 13 countries where maltreatment
of minorities is sponsored by government.[41]
Christians
Asia
Bibi, a poor Christian woman from Sheikhupura, Punjab became the first woman in
the history of Pakistan to be charged with blasphemy and sentenced to death.
Her right to prosecution was violated by blocking any access to a lawyer. The-then Governor of the Punjab, Salman Taseer went in to prison to console her but his
defiance of the religious hardcore elements resulted in his murder at the hands
of his own entourage (Mumtaz Qadri) in Islamabad on January 4, 2011. Two months
later, Minister of Minority Affairs, Shahbaz Bhatti was also killed. Moreover,
religious clerics also put $8,000 bounty on Asia Bibi’s head.[42]
In August
2010, seven Christians were burnt alive, 18 others injured and at least 50
houses set on fire by a charged crowed that accused the victims of blasphemy in
Gojra, Punjab. A teenage girl, Rimsha Masih from Islamabad, was also accused of
blasphemy though her case was dismissed because of the lack of substantial
evidence and contradictory statements by the witnesses.[43]
Christian girls have also faced kidnapping, rape and forced conversion
to Islam and even murdered for resisting such attempts. Amariah Masih was
killed in 2011 for resisting sexual advance of a Muslim man. Likewise, Muqadas Kainat was
ambushed in a field in Sahiwal by five men who raped and
murdered her.
Sabir Bashir, another Christian teen, was tortured
and killed in October 2011 in Khanewal, Punjab. He was accused of blasphemy but the actual covet was to grab his land. The society lacks any tolerance. In August 2012, Waiz Masih was killed when he indulged in a discussion on religion with his Muslim friends.
Christian
churches are facing grounding strategy of Pakistani mobs and government alike.
In September 2012, violent demonstrators set the Lutheran Church on fire in
Mardan. Similarly, St. Paul’s High School was also burnt. In Islamabad, on
Christimas eve in 2012, Christian worshipers coming out of churches became prey
to hundreds of Muslim extremists.
In October 2012, Philadelphia
Pentecostal Church was attacked by armed robbers in
Karachi. They took away cash donations worth Rs 400,000. Property of the
Catholic Church in Garhi Shahu, Lahore was also razed by the Punjab government
in January 2012.
Lahore
witnessed a horrendous event in March 2013 as a charged crowd pushed onslaught
on a Christian neighborhood and burned down more than 40 houses. More recently, Easter celebration of the
Christians were marred by a suicide attack by Tehrik e Taliban Pakistan at the
Gulshan e Iqbal Park in Lahore in 2016.[44]
Representing
the Urban Resource Center, Zahid Farooq stated that some 12,000 minority
families had migrated from Pakistan. Their graveyards had been filled to
capacity but they cannot buy new land.[45]
Hindus
Young
Hindu women have been targets of forced conversions. The case of kidnapping of
Rinkel Kumari from Mirpur Mathelo, Ghotki in rural Sindh is noted in this
regard. Consequently, more than 200 Hindu families migrated in February 2012.
According to Asian Human Rights Watch, 20-25 girls are forcibly converted or
kidnapped every month in Sindh. 5,000 Hindus leave Pakistan every year.[46]
Manisha
Kumari was kidnapped from Jacobabad city in August 2012 in order to convert her to
Islam to forcibly marry a Muslim man. This event sparked a widespread concern within
the minority Hindu community; resonantly more Hindus migrated. In late 2012,
Vijanti Meghwar was raped and murdered. She was only six years old.
Chela Ram
of the Pakistan Hindu Council term these violations of their rights as
dangerous internal security threats. He expressed his concerns over the
function of the Electoral Reforms Committee, Evacuee Property Trust Board and
other committees which fail to ensure the participation of minorities at such
decision-making forums.
Similarly,
Hindu dharamshala was attacked during the Holi event in Larkana. President of the All Hindu Rights Organisation, Dr Mohan Manjiani told that the Clifton temple was also destroyed by mobs. Dr Vijay Kumar gives ethnic
colour to the persecution of Hindu minorities in Pakistan, as most of the
Hindus belong to Sindhi ethnicity.
Sikhs
Two Sikhs
were kidnapped and beheaded by the Taliban in Pakistan. Vandalized body of
another Sikh was found in Chora, Khyber Agency. Similary, a visiting foreign
Sikh business woman was kidnapped in 2012. Patron-in-Chief
of the Pakistan Sikh Council, Sardar Ramesh Singh stated that their holy book,
the Guru Garanth Sahib was burnt many times by local mobs but the government never pays heed to their concerns.
Ahmadiyyas
For the Muslims, the Ahmadiyyas are a heretical sect that have lost claim
to call themselves as Muslims. Anti-Ahmadiyya riots and demonstrations took
place in 1950s, primarily in the Punjab province. As many as, 2000 members of
this community were killed. They were severely reprimanded for minor
and negligible crime. One such incident took
place in Lahore, where an Ahmadiyya shopekeeper was beaten and then handed a six-months prison for greeting a passer-by with Assalamu Alaikum.[47]
All of
this public reaction and political pressure of the religious groups culminated
in the 1974 amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan according to which
Ahmadiyyas were no longer regarded as Muslims. In fact, the discussion and
practice of their faith in public brought serious consequence which put their
lives at stake.[48]
When Dr.
Abdus Salam returned as a Nobel Laureate, he faced heavy criticism due to his
religious beliefs, despite the fact that his efforts brought international
praise. Ultimately only
200,000 Ahmadiyyas live in the constant fear whilst also hiding their
identities for survival.
4. SUpport
Huseyn
Shaheed Suharwardy was the first person who wanted reforms and a liberal and
all-incorporating society. Time and again, he warned the hardcore elements of
the severe consequences that the fundamentalism might tear the society and nation apart. But he lost power to General Ayub Khan.
Later on,
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had been pressurized by the religious groups to save his
reign. He wanted to steal Mullah’s thunder by limiting his powers but his
decision to come to terms with the religious clergy further boosted their
demands.
During
the last few months of the Musharraf regime and prior to the 2008 general elections,
former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan from self-exile. She had been perceived as a reliable political and civilian alternate to
General Musharraf. She was considered as a person who could rally the people around extremism. However, she was assassinated in
Rawalpindi in December 2007. In the
same fashion, Former Governor of the Punjab, Salmaan Taseer was gunned down by his
own security personnel. Taseer’s only 'crime' was the support of a wretched
Christian woman, Asia Bibi. President Asif Ali Zardari sought a presidential pardon for her, but his
decision was overruled by the ruling party’s religious coalition partner, the JUI-F.[49]
Reformist voices have been few and far between. An act of support for minorities may incur violent reaction. In May 2014, a defence
prosecutor of an accused blaspheme, Rashid Rehman was murdered.[50]
Due to intolerant nature of the society and the control of fundamentalists, reforms
campaigners are bound to face severe societal pressure.
5. Rights Violations
Article
18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, pertaining to the freedom to religion binds states to guarantee an environment where the people
can freely profess and practice their religion. United Nations Human Rights
Commission reported that over 7 million Hindus fled to India from newly formed
Pakistan as a result of the communal riots.
The
rights organisations and the West was heavily criticized for ignoring General
Zia’s radicalization programme as he offered support to the United States and
sponsored 'Jihad' against Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
Minority Rights Group International lists Pakistan
as the country with highest increase in violence against minorities since 2007.
The group also ranks Pakistan at the seventh spot among the most dangerous
countries for minorities. Human Rights Watch reports that officers in the
Punjab province promote violence against minorities and attacks on their temples, churches and graveyards of minorities.[51]
Rights of minorities are also violated by keeping
their numbers low in official estimates and census to cut their
due share in attainment of opportunities and civic facilities. Many Hindu families were forced
to abandon their ancestral homes left for India and other parts of the world
because they thought of themselves as easy targets to inhumane act. The attack on their
places of worship means an attack on their communal and religious identity; something more grave than an attack on individuals.
6. Security Sector Reforms
Pakistan
can take a sigh of relief as the country has experienced 40 percent decrease in
incidences of violence against religious minorities since 2011.[52]
Military operations against the Taliban are seen as a key factor. Armed Forces of Pakistan have destroyed the backbone of
militancy in the country which was a prime cause of religious violence. Moreover, there has been massive induction of non-muslims in civil and military bureaucracy. Major Hercharan Singh is a fine example. He earned his commission after graduating from the Pakistan Military Academy at Kakool.
Curriculum has been revised and made free
from hate content.[53]
Madrassa system has also been regulated. Being a
universal religion Islam promotes a sense of mutual cooperation, as stated by
the Holy Koran:
“Come
to the terms that are similar amongst thee”
Allama Dr. Muhammad Iqbal
also stated his desire of an all-integrating society conceived in the
principles of Islam:
Islam
came with ‘legal concepts’ with ‘civic significance’[54]
The quota
of minorities in jobs and academics should be increased to uplift the
marginalized segment of the society so that they can properly contribute
towards national development as respectable and responsible citizens.
Implementation of Quaid’s
Vision
The
August 11, 1947 speech of the great Quaid shall be incorporated in state
policy:
We
should begin to work in that spirit and in course of time all these
angularities of the majority and minority communities … Hindus would cease to
be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense,
because that is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political
sense as citizens of the State.[55]
The
Ministry of Education of the Sindh government has already adopted Quaid’s
August 11 speech in the curriculum of middle and high school.[56]
National Action Plan
NAP asks
the federal and provincial governments of Pakistan to ascertain relief efforts
towards minorities. Soon after, the Law Minister of Sindh introduced the
Forced Conversions Act, Hindu Marriage Bill and Minorities Commission Bill in
the Sindh government. There are many bills completed by the coordinated effort
of the government and non-governmental organisations to stop forced
conversions, inclusion of minorities in commissions and enactment of the Hindu
Marriage Act.
Responsible International
Actor
Article
27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, puts the rights
of religious minorities under responsibility of the states. States should
encourage conditions to promote of harmony being as responsible
international actors. Positive
measures have been taken to bring minorities in the mainstream by considering their
recommendations.
Office of
the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) has taken measures to improve
integrated attention to minority rights throughout the United Nations (UN)
system. This includes the efforts of the UN Network on Racial Discrimination
and Protection of Minorities which began in 2002. In March 2013, over 20 UN
entities participated in the Network and developed a Secretary General’s
Guidance Note on Racial Discrimination and Minorities.[57]
Therefore, Pakistan should build positive global image by implementing the UN
recommendations.
Protection
The first
and foremost right of the minorities is the protection of their lives and
properties. A proper functioning system of minority protection cannot develop
until genuine effort is put in the inquiry of events of violence so that it can
lead to efficient investigation and provision of justice. Dedicated law and enforcement forces
shall be formed to the protect temples, churches and neighborhoods of minorities.
External
threats are of collective nature but internal oppression against minorities is
of key importance. Protection can be regularized by Islamic traditions. The
system of Jizya is well-known in Islamic history. It is the protection tax paid
by the non-Muslim citizens of an Islamic country. The Prophet (PBUH) put great
emphasis on protection of non-Muslims:
“Whosoever
hurts the Dhimmi, I shall be his complainant”[58]
For Jizya
sytem to be workable, there must be an agreement between the Muslim rulers and
non-Muslims. Without their consent and will, no Jizya can be collected. The Jizyah money can be used to establish a dedicated Law and Enforcement agency for
minorities. However, if governments fails to provide protection; an example of repealing of Jizyah can be quoted from the time of Caliph
Omar. His treasurer, Abu Obaydah was ordered to return Jizyah money collected from
Syrian Christians because Muslim armies were unable to defend their non-Muslim
subjects from the attacks of Byzantines.
Societal
Social norms of tolerance and equality can create an all-conducive environment. Media has always stood by the minorities. But general public should step up to eradicate the whole aura of xenophobia and religious
dogma.
Legal
Implementation
of the Constitution of Pakistan will ensures equal rights to all. According to
Article 25(1) of the constitution of Pakistan "all citizens are equal before
law and are entitled to equal protection of law". Likewise Article 20(a) states
that "every citizen shall have the right to profess, practice and propagate his
religion" and 20(b) "every religious denomination and every sect thereof shall
have the right to establish, maintain and manage its religious institutions".[60]
Moreover,
Parliament of Pakistan should also adopt Article 36 'Protection of Minorities'
as a part of Fundamental Rights. So it may come under the operational
jurisdiction of the Constitution of Pakistan.[61]
Recently, many laws have been passed to stop guarantee rights of minorities. Existing laws which provide air to violence, like Blasphemy shall be modified
and the blasphemy cases shall be investigated by separate independent bodies.
Political
Supreme
Court and the Chief Justice should bring up the issues of minorities and take
serious notice of marginalization and violence against minorities. Moreover,
there is a dire need to eradicate the political separatism on the basis of
religion.
Dr Jaipal
Chhabria of the HRCP highlights some facts from history of tolerance as he
quotes the appointment of Jogendar Nath Mandal as the first Law Minister of
Pakistan by the first Governor-General Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He also points out that three
votes needed to pass the Lahore Resolution came from Christian Leaders of the
All-India Muslim League.[62] The revival of separate electorates will ensure that representatives
of minorities have to work for the welfare of their community rather than
chasing party loyalties.
Conclusion
India is consistently viewed as a country with major acts of religious violence against
non-Hindu population despite being the largest secular democracy in the world.
However, Pakistan is perceived as a Muslim-only country even though the estimates, official and independent, put their number between four to five percent of the total population.
Minorities have laid great contributions to health, education, trade, commerce and security of Pakistan. They have also lived in peace without ever enticing large public protests. However, the government has failed to ensure the freedom of profession and practice of the religion, those enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan.
Minorities have laid great contributions to health, education, trade, commerce and security of Pakistan. They have also lived in peace without ever enticing large public protests. However, the government has failed to ensure the freedom of profession and practice of the religion, those enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan.
The paper
develops an understanding of the civil and military rules and how the religion
was used as a wedge to divide the society. Protection of minorities has been an
utmost failure, be it Islamization or Enlightened Moderation; right-wing
parties or the leftist mindsets in power. Tolerance of intolerance shall not be
tolerated rather than Islamic teachings of tolerance towards non-Muslims and peace
shall be implemented in the society. On the other hand, religion-based political
separatism shall be eradicated and Pakistan must move towards Quaid’s
all-conducive pluralistic agenda.
The sobriety of the issue of violence against minorities requires a resounding counter-terrorism strategy. Political intelligentsia cannot escape their
responsibilities by mere condolences.
People
are sick of imposed identities and want to rediscover a flourishing society
through combined efforts of all. It must be noted here that a large majority of
population is non-violent in its conduct. People are in favour of reforms and
dispersion of rights by rallying around minorities; as was evident after the
recent Lahore attack on Easter Eve. They are in support of the bills for women
empowerment. They also support the call of minorities for an all-integrated country. Moreover, minorities also realize that their problems mostly correspond with the issues of the nation at large. There is no denying the fact that minorities have always stood by Pakistan in the times of foreign pressure. They do not buy the foreign agenda and perception management. Rather, they have always dedicated themselves to the protection of ideological and geographical frontiers of Pakistan.
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ENDNOTES
[1] Malik Siraj
Akbar, “How Pakistan Abondoned its Minorities,” Huffington Post (New
York, NY), January 17, 2016, accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/malik-siraj-akbar/how-pakistan-abandoned-it_b_9001584.html.
[2] Elizabeth
Roche, “Slow Genocide of Minorities in Pakistan,” Live Mint (New Delhi,
India), January 19, 2016, accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.livemint.com/Politics/F4r3Tmf51k8Sm6DGjPRaEN/Slow-genocide-of-minorities-in-Pakistan-Farahnaz-Ispahani.html.
[3] “Pakistan
Demographic Profile 2014,” Index Mundi, accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.indexmundi.com/pakistan/demographics_profile.html.
[4] Abdul Majid,
“Religious Minorities in Pakistan,” Journal of the Punjab University
Historical Society 27 (2014): 8, accessed 29 June, 2016, http://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/HistoryPStudies/PDF-FILES/1%20Abdul%20Majid_v27No1june2014.pdf.
[5] “Address of the
Founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on 11th August, 1947 to
1st Constituent Assembly,” National Assembly of Pakistan, accessed June
29, 2016, http://www.na.gov.pk/en/content.php?id=74.
[6] Malik Siraj
Akbar, How Pakistan Abondoned its Minorities.
[7] Farahnaz
Ispahani, Purifying the Land of the Pure (Noida, India: Harper Collins
India, 2015), 59.
[8] Rana Banerji,
“Why Pakistan Has no Place for Minorities,” India Today (Noida, India),
February 14, 2016, accessed 29 June, 2016, http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/pakistan-has-no-place-for-minorities-purifying-the-land-of-the-pure-farahnaz-ispahani/1/595796.html.
[9] Ibid., 24.
[10] Ibid.
[11] I. Ramamohan
Rao, “Pakistan: Problems in Purifying the ‘Land of the Pure’,” review of Purifying
the Land of the Pure, by Farahnaz Ispahani, Business Standard (New
Delhi, India), January 23, 2016, accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/pakistan-problems-in-purifying-the-land-of-the-pure-116012300397_1.html.
[12] Ispahani, Purifying
the Land of the Pure, 42.
[13] Farahnaz
Ispahani, “Cleansing Pakistan of Minorities,” Current Trends is Islamist
Ideology 15 (2013): 59, accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.hudson.org/content/researchattachments/attachment/1377/ispanhani_vol15.pdf.
[14] Muhammad Taqi,
“Purifying the Pure,” review of Purifying the Land of the Pure, by
Farahnaz Ispahani, Friday Times (Islamabad, Pakistan), January 29, 2016,
accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/purifying-the-pure/.
[15] Ispahani, Purifying
the Land of the Pure, 69.
[16] Banerji..
[17] Ibid.
[18] Elyas Merchant,
“Pakistan Under Musharraf: Government and Politics,” Pakistan Spectator
(Karachi, Pakistan), May 20, 2008, accessed 29 June, 2016, http://www.pkhope.com/pakistan-under-musharraf-government-and-politics/.
[19] Maria Malik et
al., “Status of Religious Minorities in Pakistan” (paper presented at 6th Youth
Parliament of Pakistan, PILDAT (Islamabad, Pakistan) March 14, 2015: 11,
accessed June 29, 2016, http://pildat.org/youthparliament/yp2014/downloads/CR/lawjusticeandhumanrightsstandingcommitteereport.pdf.
[20] Eshrat Hussain
Basri, “Rights of non-Muslim Minorities in a Muslim Country,” Al-Idah 30
(2015): 48, accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.szic.pk/journal/june2015/6.pdf.
[21] Sayed Afzal
Peerzade, “Jizya: A Misunderstood Levy,” Journal of King Abdulaziz
University 23 (2010): 155, accessed June 29, 2016, http://iei.kau.edu.sa/GetFile.aspx?id=78880&Lng=EN&fn=23-1-Afzal-06.pdf.
[22] Ishtiaq Hussain, “Religious Minorities
in Pakistan,” Center for Peace and Development Balochistan (2008): 17,
accessed June 29, 2016, http://fhrp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/RELIGIOUS-MINORITIES-in-PAKISTAN.pdf.
[23] Malik et al.,
11.
[24] Hussain, 20.
[25] Muqarrab Akber,
“Pakistan: An Islamic State or a State for Muslims,” Pakistan Journal of
Islamic Research 15 (2015): 26, accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.bzu.edu.pk/PJIR/vol15/eng2.pdf.
[26] Malik Siraj
Akbar, How Pakistan Abondoned its Minorities.
[27] Marva Khan,
“Constitutional Comparison and Analysis of Discrimination against Religious
Minorities in Pakistan and India,” LUMS Law Jounal 1 (2014): 26,
accessed June 29, 2016, http://lums.edu.pk/updata/lumslawjournal/lums_law_journal_Vol_1_Final_10Aug14.pdf.
[28] Ibid, 33.
[29] Ispahani, Purifying
the Land of the Pure, 18.
[30] Independant,
“Minorities Concerned Over Non-Inclusion in Action Plan Committee,” Daily
Nation (Islamabad, Pakistan), December 25, 2014, accessed June 29, 2016, http://nation.com.pk/national/25-Dec-2014/minorities-express-concernover-non-inclusion-in-counter-terrorism-action-plan-committee.
[31] Shamim Mehmood
Masih, “No place for minorities in Imran Khan’s ‘Naya’ Pakistan,” Daily
Times (Islamabad, Pakistan), July 12, 2013, accessed June 29, 2016, http://dailytimes.com.pk/opinion/12-Jul-13/no-place-for-minorities-in-imran-khans-naya-pakistan
[32] Independant,
“Discrimination, Violence against minorities poses grave threat to society,” Daily
Times (Islamabad, Pakistan), January 20, 2016, accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/19-Jan-2016/discrimination-violence-against-minorities-poses-grave-threat-to-society.
[33] Shazia Hasan, “Issues of minority groups in Pakistan discussed,” Dawn
(Islamabad, Pakistan), July 19, 2014, accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.dawn.com/news/1120108.
[34] Asia Bibi,
interview by Pakistani Journalist, Christians Together (Lahore,
Pakistan), November 11, 2011, accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.christianstogether.net/Articles/289124/Christians_Together_in/Current_News/An_interview_with.aspx.
[35] Independant,
“Sindh Plans to Combat Religious Persecution,” Dawn (Islamabad,
Pakistan), October 11, 2015, accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.dawn.com/news/1212201.
[36] Ispahani, Cleansing
Pakistan of Minorities, 62.
[37] Tariq Rahman,
“Pakistan’s Policy and Practice Towards the Religious Minorities,” South
Asian History and Culture Journal 3 (2012): 307, accessed June 29, 2016, doi:10.1080/19472498.2012.664419
[38] Pakistan Penal
Code.
[39] Ibid.
[40] Rao.
[41] Hasan Rizvi,
“Violence Against Religious Minorities,” Lead Pakistan (Islamabad,
Pakistan), July 20, 2011, accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.lead.org.pk/hr/attachments/issues/Violence%20against%20Religious%20Minorities.pdf.
[42] Asia Bibi.
[43] “Attack Against
Minorities in Pakistan,” European Organization of Pakistani Minority,
accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.eopm.org/.
[44] Imran Gabol,
“At least 72 Killed as Terror revisits Lahore,” Daily Dawn (Islamabad,
Pakistan), March 29, 2016, accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.dawn.com/news/1248259.
[46] Zeeshan
Salahuddin, “The Plight of Pakistani Minority,” Friday Times (Islamabad,
Pakistan), October 29, 2015, accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/the-plight-of-pakistani-minorities/.
[47] Malik Siraj
Akbar, How Pakistan Abondoned its Minorities.
[48] Ismat Sarah
Mangla, “Muslim Atrocities in Pakistan Cause Activistis to Wonder, Where’s the
Outrage,” IB Times (New York, NY), November 25, 2015, accessed June 29,
2016, http://www.ibtimes.com/Muslim-atrocities-pakistan-cause-activists-wonder-wheres-outrage-2198904
[49] Razeshta Sethna
and Hazrat Bilal, “Minority Rights in Pakistan: Historic Neglect or State
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[50] Ibid., 10.
[51] Ibid., 7.
[52] Editorial,
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[53] Malik et
al.,15.
[54] Muqarrab Akber,
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[55] “Address of the
Founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on 11th August, 1947 to
1st Constituent Assembly.”
[56] Shazia Hasan, “Quaid’s Aug 11 speech to be included in school curriculum,” Dawn
(Karachi, Pakistan), March 24, 2015, accessed June 29, 2016, http://www.dawn.com/news/1171436.
[57] Office of the
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[58] Basri, 63.
[59] Peerzade, 154.
[60] The
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[61] Rahman, 310.
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