Minorities under pressure in Pakistan

Being a member of an ethnic or religious minority in Pakistan brings with it inherent risks – something dramatically illustrated in Peshawar last month when a bomb attack on a church killed at least 85 people. The US State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report for 2012 notes that the 5 percent who constitute the non-Muslim population in a country of just over 190 million face persecution in many forms, including “attacks on houses of worship, religious gatherings, and religious leaders …

Pakistan: Human Rights Report for 2011

The U.S. Department of State has released the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011,  The report by U.S. Department of State is submitted to the U.S. Congress. This years report again highlights the plight of minorities including Ahmadis in Pakistan. The report makes the following statements about Ahmadis : Disturbing trends include an increase in anti-Semitism, and continued persecution of other religious minorities, including Ahmadis, Baha’is, Tibetan Buddhists, Christians, Jews, and others. Minority prisoners generally were afforded …