- State Department says more needs to done
That the US State Department’s need to pronounce on countries’ religious freedom may be considered as interference in their sovereignty, but that does not mean that that pronouncement does not mean anything. The State Department had downgraded Pakistan’s ranking to that of a CPC, a country of particular concern last year but waived the sanctions that it entailed.
However, its latest report on religious freedom did note with approval the acquittal of Aasia Bibi on a blasphemy charge after the upholding of her appeal, the government’s facing down of a subsequent protest movement, and her subsequent flight abroad for resettlement. The report may be taken as an indicator of the state of religious freedom in Pakistan, and particularly on whether or not the blasphemy laws can be misused to target someone for reasons other than the blasphemy that might be committed. Therefore while he described Aasia Bibi’s release as “good news of the year”, US Secretary of State Pompeo also stated that 40 people were still languishing in jail on blasphemy charges.
While blasphemy is indeed a grievous sin and a crime, the laws against it in Pakistan are such that they can be misused for private purposes, which have nothing to do with blasphemy. Indeed, an accusation is too often equated with guilt, and acquittals by courts are so vehemently contested that even judges have been murdered for their verdict. It is in the interest of the government to reform the law so as to prevent its misuse or misapplication, not so that it can get off some list, but so that it can protect the lives of all citizens. Although the State Department prepares its annual report because it is mandated to do so, and the list is for its own purposes, it still serves as a reminder to countries like Pakistan that it can improve on the level of religious freedom afforded to its people.
