*EPF211 02/19/2002
Text: Resolution Urges Greater Religious Freedom in Pakistan
(House Resolution 348 submitted Feb. 14) (1170)
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives calling on Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to repeal that nation's Blasphemy Law, which they say "has become an instrument of repression."
Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Republican of Florida), the chairwoman of the House International Relations Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights, introduced House Resolution 348 (H. Res. 348) February 14 to the House of Representatives. The proposed resolution was referred to the House International Relations Committee.
The resolution would urge the President and the Secretary of State to bring up matters of religious persecution in Pakistan at all appropriate representations with that government, including talks on terrorism and nuclear proliferation.
H. Res. 348 also urges Musharraf to repeal Pakistan's Martial Ordinance XX, which proscribes the Ahmadi sect of Islam from practicing such things as the Muslim daily call to prayer.
The ordinance, passed in 1984, "is in conflict with international law and the basic human right of freedom of religion," H. Res. 348 says.
The proposed resolution also calls on the Pakistani leader to release prisoners jailed under Ordinance XX and the Blasphemy Law.
The resolution's authors cite State Department annual reports on religious freedom and human rights that have documented "numerous instances of legal and government discrimination in Pakistan based on religion or belief."
H. Res. 348 states Pakistani Christians "face tremendous persecution under that country's Blasphemy Law, which is applied arbitrarily upon the accusation of insult to the Prophet Mohammed or the Holy Koran and can carry the death penalty."
Ros-Lehtinen was joined in submitting the proposed resolution by Representative Dana Rohrabacher (Republican of California), also a member of the House International Relations Committee, Representative Joseph Crowley (Democrat of New York), a member of the House International Relations Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, Representative Sherrod Brown (Democrat of Ohio), a member of the House International Relations Committee, Representative Jo Ann Davis (Republican of Virginia), a member of the House International Relations Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, and Representative Joseph Pitts (Republican of Pennsylvania), also a member of the Middle East and South Asia panel.
Pitts, who introduced a resolution February 12 welcoming Musharraf to the United States and who had called the Pakistani leader a courageous leader in debate on that earlier resolution, is a member of the Helsinki Commission, an active member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, and founder of the Religious Prisoners Congressional Task Force, which advocates for prisoners of conscience.
Following is the text of House Resolution 348 from the Congressional Record:
(begin text)
Introduced in the House
HRES 348 IH
107th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 348
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to violations in Pakistan of the freedom of individuals to profess and practice religion or belief.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 14, 2002
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. PITTS, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, and Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to violations in Pakistan of the freedom of individuals to profess and practice religion or belief.
Whereas under Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, `Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance';
Whereas under Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, `No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or adopt a religion or belief of his choice';
Whereas freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief is inextricably linked to the exercise of other rights, including the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, the right to freedom of association with others, and the right to freedom of expression, and the recognition that all persons are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection of the law, including in employment;
Whereas the Department of State's annual reports on religious freedom and human rights have documented numerous instances of legal and government discrimination in Pakistan based on religion or belief;
Whereas Pakistani Christians face tremendous persecution under that country's Blasphemy Law, which is applied arbitrarily upon the accusation of insult to the Prophet Mohammed or the Holy Koran and can carry the death penalty;
Whereas minority Muslim groups in Pakistan also face oppression, as some have been declared `not Muslims' in the eyes of the law and their practice of elements of Islam is therefore considered blasphemous;
Whereas under current Martial Ordinance XX of 1984, everyday life of an Ahmadi Muslim has been turned into a crime, and quotidian religious observances, such as the traditional Muslim greeting `peace be upon you' and the call to prayer are criminal acts punishable with imprisonment when practiced by members of the Ahmadiyya community;
Whereas Church of Pakistan Bishop Alexander John Malik has described the Blasphemy Law as a `license to harass, enslave and eliminate minorities and legalize religious persecution';
Whereas while the blasphemy laws remain in place, Pakistan's religious minorities are defenseless against opportunism and malice; and
Whereas General Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan explained that his `view is of a tolerant Islam, Islam in the true sense, and not an Islam which is manipulated for political gains . . . Islam is a `deen', a way of life . . . I am a believer in taking Islam in its real, progressive form--a much broader futuristic view rather than a dogmatic and retrogressive one': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) calls on General Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan to repeal the Blasphemy Law, which has become an instrument of repression;
(2) urges General Musharraf to repeal Martial Ordinance XX which is in conflict with international law and the basic human right of freedom of religion;
(3) appeals to General Musharraf to release prisoners jailed under Ordinance XX and the Blasphemy Law;
(4) asks General Musharraf to repeal the 8th Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan declaring Ahmadis `not Muslims' under the law;
(5) encourages General Musharraf to eliminate the requirement to declare one's religion when applying for a passport or swear to exclusive statements regarding religion, admission to an educational institution, obtaining the national identity card, or employment; and
(6) calls upon the President and the Secretary of State to-- (A) raise violations of the freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief, at every appropriate level with representatives of the Government of Pakistan, including during discussions regarding terrorism and nuclear proliferation; and
(B) include experts on religious liberty on United States delegations to Pakistan and to appropriate regional and international meetings.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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