Church leaders in Pakistan have criticized their government for showing a “lethargic attitude” toward attacks on religious minorities. The government has, in effect, given free reign to the Taliban, thus encouraging “the imposition of jazia—a tax for being non-Muslim—by militant organizations,” as well as “kidnapping for ransom, target killing and internal displacement,” said a February statement from the Pakistan Catholic Justice and Peace Commission. The statement noted that recent violence against Sikhs, Hindus and Christians poses a “grave threat to the life, liberty and property of the members of religious minorities in the country.” Christians have been harassed in the Swat Valley of the North-West Frontier Province and other areas, it said. “The federal and provincial governments should treat these incidents as an alarm bell and must take stringent measures to control the situation.”
Protection Sought for Minorities in Pakistan
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