ONLINE ASSIGNMENT

Sajjad Ali
10475

HUMAN RIGHTS VOILATIONS IN

PAKISTAN:
Pakistan is an important geopolitical ally for the West. It is this
country that harasses al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters, who all fought
against military means. The Green Party knows that peace is not
brought by war. Therefore, the civil government and civil society in
Pakistan will have to be strengthened by changing the
discriminatory laws in the Pakistani constitution.
To understand the situation we have to go back to Pakistani and
Western history. 1977 The dictator Zia-ul-Haq took over and
sentenced the legitimate Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto as the father of the late Benazir Bhutto in 1979.
The invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Army in 1979 helped the
unpopular dictator Zia ul Haq consolidate his power. The West
needed a strong army, which no civilian government would have to
listen to. During this war from 1979 to 1989, Zia ul Haq received
overwhelming support from the West economically and militarily.
Islamic fighters from all over the world were invited to participate
in the jihad against the Communists. During this period, Zia
introduced Islamic Sharia law and civil society was tortured in the
worst way. For the first time in Pakistani history, mullahs (religious
leaders) and religious fundamentalists became influential and
powerful - a deadly force they are not giving up today!
Already, religious minorities under Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto were political
victims. In 1974, Ahmadiyya Muslim community was declared a
non-Muslim minority in Ordinance XX. Ahmadi Muslims were not
allowed to call themselves "Muslims". It was forbidden to use
"asalamo alaikum" (Islamic salutation) or Islamic expressions for
prayer. Even the expression for "mosque" was not allowed to be
used for their place of worship. The law deteriorated under Zia ul
Haq in 1984 (Introduction to Art. 289 A / B / C and 295, 295 A in
Pakistan A Code PPC). Now every Ahmadi who calls himself a
Muslim or expresses his religious sentiments has to spend three to
ten years in jail and fine.
1986 Blasphemy law was enacted by the dictator. This law, which
was against Ahmadis, is still used today, especially against Christian
minorities and important citizens who dare to raise their voice
against injustice. Anyone who disobeys the Holy Quran will be
punished with life imprisonment (Art. 295b). Anyone who uses
derogatory remarks against the Holy Prophet Muhammad will be
given the death penalty (Art. 295c).
Changes in the law relating to religious offenses have contributed to
an atmosphere of religious intolerance in Pakistan in which violence
against members of religious minorities has increased significantly.
Religious accusations often result in personal conflicts that have
enormous consequences for the accused. Many times Ahmadis and
Christians are killed without any crime and the state is ignoring
criminal offenses. In the Pakistani media, the Ahmadis have been
openly declared as 'ul-Wazibul Katal', that is, they should be killed.
In the spirit of the principles of the United Nations Charter, the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and international law,
The EGP expresses: Its deep concern about the systematic violation
of the rule of law and basic human and democratic rights in Pakistan
through Ordinance XX.