Global News - Redeem the Oppressed

Pakistan Slammed For ‘Extrajudicial Killings Of Minorities’

Pakistan slammed for disparaging the religious minorities in the country. On May 24, the conference on “Islamism And Human Rights In Pakistan” was held in the Flemish Parliament at Leuvenseweg in Brussels, Belgium. This conference was attended by several notable individuals who pointed fingers at the downside of the Pakistani government, implementation of the legislation and effective planning for protection of the non-Muslim Pakistani.

Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy law and it’s misuse was brought under discussion. While, talking about this issue, Jamil Maqsood, central Secretary of the committee on Foreign Affairs on United Kashmir People’s party (UKPNP) said that this law was introduced in 1973, which has been used to target Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Ahmadis etc.  No action is taken on behalf of the government to restrain the misuse of this law. In doing, so innocent minorities are suffering and are marooned in their own homeland. In some cases they are forced to flee Pakistan.

He said that in a recent episode of religious bigotry, two Sikh bussinmen were killed in broad daylight in a marketplace. He alleged that there are laws that are being used against the minorities to threaten and usurp their properties.

Instead of framing constitution to provide equal rights and protection to the minorities, mere resolutions are being passed. Jamil Maqsood further said that owing to the negligence on part of the government and the legislating bodies the population of minorities in Pakistan is declining.    

Others who addressed the attendees at this conference said that radicalism is being cultivated and nurtured in the country. Properly orchestrated systems are operating in the country to promote and impart religion based radicalism. They said that Islamic ideology is being misused to inculcate hatred in the society.

By Farrukh Saif

Farrukh Saif is a Pakistani human rights activist based in Germany. He founded his own organization, the Farrukh Saif Foundation (FSF), in 2009 with the goal of supporting marginalized and oppressed minorities in Pakistan who are affected by religious discrimination, blasphemy laws, forced conversions, abductions, rape, and bonded slavery. The main focus of the FSF is on the liberation of bonded laborers, particularly those working in brick kilns in rural areas of Pakistan. In 2018, the FSF merged with the US-based Emergency Committee to Save the Persecuted and Enslaved. Throughout his career, Farrukh has been a leading voice for the rights of minorities in Pakistan and has gained international attention for his campaigns against the misuse of blasphemy laws and the belief that asylum is not a crime. In 2014, he played a key role in the release of hundreds of asylum seekers from Thai jails and has worked with his legal team to save numerous victims of strict blasphemy laws in Pakistan. Farrukh has also been invited by the Hungarian government to discuss his work and the issues he addresses. In addition to his work with the FSF, Farrukh has also been involved in various other humanitarian efforts, including providing health care services to internally displaced persons in Khayber Pakhtoon Khawa in 2009 and assisting flood victims in Sindh and Punjab in 2010. He has worked to aid victimized minorities in Pakistan and has a strong track record of successfully advocating for their rights. Farrukh joined forces with Keith Davies in 2018 to co-found the Emergency Committee to Save The Persecuted and Enslaved, and since 2009, they have collectively successfully rescued more than 36000 individuals from slavery and persecution.