{"id":6464,"date":"2017-10-12T10:42:42","date_gmt":"2017-10-12T10:42:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hrcp-web.org\/hrcpweb\/?p=6464"},"modified":"2021-12-15T10:43:54","modified_gmt":"2021-12-15T10:43:54","slug":"hrcp-slams-parliamentarians-hate-speech-at-public-forum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hrcp-web.org\/hrcpweb\/hrcp-slams-parliamentarians-hate-speech-at-public-forum\/","title":{"rendered":"HRCP slams parliamentarian\u2019s hate speech at public forum"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lahore<\/b>, October 12:\u00a0<\/b>The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed outrage at\u00a0the statement made by a parliamentarian from the ruling party in the National Assembly,\u00a0targeting and calling for discriminatory actions to be taken against a religious minority group.<\/p>\n

A statement issued by the Commission on Thursday said, \u201cHRCP condemns in the strongest possible terms the targeting of any Pakistani religious minority group and any call for discriminatory behavior against any such group at a public forum. The parliamentarian\u2019s tirade in the\u00a0National Assembly on\u00a010th<\/sup>\u00a0October 2017\u00a0targeted Ahmadis. The Ahmadiyya community is already the most persecuted religious minority group in\u00a0Pakistan. Furthermore,\u00a0the use of the National Assembly floor to advocate discrimination, hatred and exclusion for citizens in this manner is deplorable.<\/p>\n

The parliamentarian from the ruling party accused the faith group of acting against\u00a0Pakistan\u2019s interests and labeling them a threat to the country, its Constitution and ideology. He made demands, among others, that there should be a prohibition on the recruitment of Ahmadis into the armed forces and national institutions such as the Atomic Energy Commission of Pakistan.\u00a0He also said that they would not stand for the Physics department at theQuaid-e-Azam\u00a0University\u00a0to be named after Nobel Laureate Dr Abdus Salam, because he was an Ahmadi.<\/p>\n

This is an extremely disappointing trend in a country where one does not have to look far for methods of intimidation and discriminatory behavior against religious minority groups. It is also a bad omen for\u00a0Pakistan\u2019s beleaguered democracy if members of political parties are able to express such intolerant and politically incorrect views at a public forum with such impunity. It is regrettable that no political party or attending parliamentarian condemned this parliamentarian as he made his speech.<\/p>\n

Pakistan\u2019s national and international human rights obligations do not support such vehement and uncalled for disregard of the human rights of any of its citizens, irrespective of their religion, caste or creed.<\/p>\n

The government must ensure that such hate speech does not go uninvestigated and uncondemned at the highest level. This is vital in order to send a clear message that it will not allow such things to go unpunished.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Mehdi Hasan<\/b><\/p>\n

Chairperson<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>