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Jinnah Institute Report on State of Religious Freedom in Pakistan and Release of the documentary film ’Strangers in Their Own Land’

21 January 2016

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Highlights from Report on State of Religious Freedom in Pakistan

1. A parliamentary committee should undertake a review of constitutional provisions that spur discrimination against minority groups including the oaths administered to the office of high level officials of the state.

2. The National Commission on Minorities should be given authority to take suo motu notice of discrimination and violence against minorities, with the ability to pursue public interest litigation to protect the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Constitution.

3. The implementation on the June 2014 Supreme Court judgement should be carried out in its entirety and the progress of provinces monitored diligently.

4. Full implementation of job quotas for minorities and protection of businesses owned by non-Muslim groups.

5. Hate speech and hate campaigns need to be curbed by further strengthening existing legislation and policies.

6. Curriculum reform through inclusion of messages of religious tolerance, and shunning of violent methods against non-Muslims is urgently required in support of the Supreme Court ruling.

7. Intensive training of police forces across all provinces to ensure that they are equipped to deal with faith based violence in their areas with sensitivity.

See full text of the report in PDF

State of Religious Freedom in Pakistan
A report published by the Jinnah Institute (http://jinnah-institute.org/). Copyright @ Jinnah Institute 2015
Editor: Ali Dayan Hasan / Authors: Rabia Mehmood; Syed Hassan Akbar
Lead Researcher: Rabia Mehmood / Assistant Researchers: Fakiha Nadeem; Palvashay Sethi

P.S.

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