Sikhs, Hindus targeted in Pakistan, says Rex Tillerson

Washington:  Religious freedom is under attack in Pakistan where minorities like Sikhs, Christians and Hindus remained concerned over government’s “inadequate” action to address forced conversions to Islam.

Members of religious minority communities said that there continued to be inconsistent application of laws safeguarding minority rights and enforcement of protections of religious minorities at both the federal and provincial levels by the federal ministry of law, justice, and human rights and its provincial counterparts, said the report released by secretary of state Rex Tillerson.

“Religious minorities said they remained concerned that government action to address coerced conversions of religious minorities to Islam was inadequate,” the report, first under the Trump administration, said. “Religious freedom is under attack in Pakistan, where more than two dozen are on death row or serving a life imprisonment for blasphemy,” he said in his speech as he released the 2016 International Religious Freedom report. China hit back on Wednesday at criticism by Mr Tillerson of its record on religious freedom, saying the US was not perfect and should be looking after its own affairs rather than making baseless accusations. Mr Tillerson had said the Chinese government tortures and imprisons thousands for their religious beliefs, citing the targeting of Falun Gong members, Uighur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China fully respected and protected freedom of religion and belief.