New Delhi (NVI): Hindus and Christians are being denied food aid amidst the ongoing coronavirus lockdown in Pakistan, whose Prime Minister Imran Khan and other leaders claim to be the champions of minority rights.
The latest revelation comes against the backdrop of umpteen cases of religious discrimination and persecution of minorities witnessed in the country.
The fact about denial of food aid to these minorities in Pakistan has been highlighted by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which termed such actions as “simply reprehensible”.
To highlight the discrimination, the USCIRF referred to reports emanating from Karachi, which said that Sayali Welfare International Trust, an NGO established to assist the homeless and seasonal workers, “has been refusing food assistance to Hindus and Christians, arguing that the aid is reserved for Muslims alone”.
USCIRF Commissioner Arunima Bhargava said, “These actions are simply reprehensible”, according to a statement issued by the American body.
“As COVID-19 continues to spread, vulnerable communities within Pakistan are fighting hunger and to keep their families safe and healthy. Food aid must not be denied because of one’s faith. We urge the Pakistani government to ensure that food aid from distributing organisations is shared equally with Hindus, Christians and other religious minorities,” Bhargava said.
USCIRF Commissioner Johnnie Moore referred to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent statement that developing countries have a challenge of not letting people die of hunger amidst coronavirus crisis and asked him to lead the way in this regard.
The Imran Khan government should “not leave religious minorities behind, otherwise they may add on top of it all one more crisis, created by religious discrimination and inter-community strife,” Moore said.
The USCIRF noted that in its 2019 Annual Report it had said that Hindus and Christians in Pakistan face continued threats to their security and are subjected to various forms of harassment and social exclusion.
