Earlier this year a study of Pakistani public school textbooks revealed that Pakistani textbooks negatively portray religious minorities and suggest that these minorities are untrustworthy and inferior
The study which was sponsored by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) reviewed 78 Pakistani textbooks and discovered religiously prejudice and bias in 24 books. Mr Azhar Hussain, president and founder of Pakistan-based NGO Peace and Education Foundation (PEF) presented the report.
USCIRF Chairman Robert P. George. said:
“Pakistan’s public school textbooks contain deeply troubling content that portrays non-Muslim citizens as outsiders, unpatriotic, and inferior; are filled with errors; and present widely-disputed historical “facts” as settled history,”
Speaking at the report launch, USCRIF commissioner, Dr Katrina Lantos said that biased content present in textbooks has “compelled Hindus for forced conversion, targeted Shia processions and conducted drive-by shooting of Ahmadis”.
Talking about Blasphemy law in the country she added that though such laws exist in other countries but are not applied, While leaders in Pakistan seems to be more willing to apply such laws. She cited the example of Asiya Bibi, a Christian lady who is in jail after she was accused of committing blasphemy.
She further added that: ” for Ahmadis, the blasphemy law’s implementation is in addition to other prohibitions that restrict the practice of their faith……These laws support the religious extremists to carry out the assault of minorities.”
Former Pakistani Minister Farahnaz Ispahani said that such writings and contents act as a major factor for minorities to be pushed aside.