The UN Committee on the Status of Women (CSW) has released a 47-page report titled “Pakistan religious freedom under attack” this month in New York.
The report slammed Pakistan for failing to uphold religious freedom of minorities and preventing the abuse of the most vulnerable sections of the minorities, especially women and children.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan Niazi announced his grand version of the “Riyasat-e-Medina” which is a welfare state. The report has called on the government to address the concerns of its minorities first.
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It has quoted prominent examples to substantiate its points.
It cited the misuse of the blasphemy law and provided the example of Ramesh Kumar Malhi, a Hindu veterinary from Mirpurkhas in Sindh, whose clinic was burnt down after he allegedly wrapped medicines in pages containing certain Quranic verses.
It has led to lack of social harmony and promoted hatred according to the report.
This law has also led to mob lynching and harassment of many including Asiya Bibi who was recently acquitted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Former Governor of Punjab province, Salman Taseer who gunned down by his own body guard for speaking out against the legislation.
The report has also lashed out at the impunity with which young children, especially girls from the Hindu and Christian communities are kidnapped, raped and forcibly converted to Islam. The state turns a blind eye and often encourages such practices. This is prevalent mostly in the Sindh and Punjab provinces.
The report also cited the interview it had conducted in 2017 with the victims who were also subjected to psychological harassment, bullying, discriminatory behaviour and denial of civic services due to their religion.
The UNCSW is a commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), one of the six organs of the UN system.