US waives penalties for Pakistan despite downgrade in religious freedom rankings

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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attends the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 7, 2018. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration has waived potential sanctions for Pakistan which can be expected to hit countries downgraded in US rankings of nations that it says infringe on religious freedom.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday he had designated Pakistan among “countries of particular concern” regarding protection for people to worship according to their beliefs.

Pakistan had previously been on a special watch-list for religious freedom. The downgrade means that the US government is obliged to exert pressure on the blacklisted countries to end violations.

Pompeo, however, waived the potential penalties for Pakistan in the US national interest, Associated Press reported.

Other countries on the blacklist include China, Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. All had been designated so in last year’s list as well. Aside from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan received sanctions waivers.

Pakistan earlier on Wednesday rejected the US State Department’s move to blacklist the country, calling the development “unilateral and politically motivated”.

Responding to the US pronouncement, the Foreign Office said, “Besides the clear biases reflected from these designations, there are serious questions on the credentials and impartiality of the self-proclaimed jury involved in this unwarranted exercise”.

“Pakistan is a multi-religious and pluralistic society where people of diverse faiths and denominations live together. Around four percent of our total population comprises citizens belonging to Christian, Hindu, Buddhists and Sikh faiths. Ensuring equal treatment of minorities and their enjoyment of human rights without any discrimination is the cardinal principle of the Constitution of Pakistan,” it added.