{"id":6347,"date":"2018-09-08T06:26:12","date_gmt":"2018-09-08T06:26:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hrcp-web.org\/hrcpweb\/?p=6347"},"modified":"2021-12-15T06:27:37","modified_gmt":"2021-12-15T06:27:37","slug":"faith-no-criterion-for-public-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hrcp-web.org\/hrcpweb\/faith-no-criterion-for-public-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Faith no criterion for public service"},"content":{"rendered":"

Press release<\/p>\n

Faith no criterion for public service<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lahore, 8 September 2018<\/em>. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed serious concern over the government\u2019s decision to withdraw its nomination of Dr Atif Mian for the Economic Advisory Council (EAC). In a statement issued today, HRCP has said:<\/p>\n

\u2018There is overwhelming evidence to show that Dr Mian was eminently qualified to serve on the EAC and that his contribution to economic policymaking in Pakistan would have been immensely valuable. The government\u2019s decision to withdraw this nomination on the grounds that it might prove divisive \u2013 merely because he happens to belong to the Ahmadiyya community \u2013 contravenes Article 27(1) of the Constitution of Pakistan, which clearly states that \u2018no citizen otherwise qualified for appointment in the service of Pakistan shall be discriminated against in respect of any such appointment on the ground only of race, religion, caste, sex, residence or place of birth.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018HRCP welcomes the government\u2019s desire, as expressed earlier, to promote inclusivity by carrying with it all social groups. This sentiment, however, cannot be applied arbitrarily or selectively and certainly not at the expense of beleaguered religious communities that are entitled to the state\u2019s protection and to civil society\u2019s support. The withdrawal of Dr Mian\u2019s nomination does not augur well. The spate of faith-based attacks this year, not only on the Ahmadiyya community, but also on the Christian, Shia Hazara and Hindu communities, should make it clear that any steps by the state that are seen to legitimize religious discrimination are unacceptable. Defending human rights is necessarily a question of moral courage and HRCP strongly urges the government to avoid any sort of precedent that allows a person\u2019s faith to trump all other criteria for public service.\u2019<\/p>\n

Dr. Mehdi Hasan<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chairperson<\/p>\n

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