PAKISTAN PAKISTAN August 2014 THE U.S. COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress. 732 N. Capitol St. N.W. , Suite A714 Washington, D.C. 20401 Phone: (202) 786-0613 [email protected]www.uscirf.gov August 2014 Violence Towards Religious Communities in Pakistan Factsheet The Religious Violence Project, an undertaking of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, has tracked publicly-reported attacks against religious communities in Pakistan over the past 30 months. The latest report covers the period from July 2013 to June 2014, during which 122 incidents of sectarian violence resulted in more than 1,200 casualties, including 430 deaths. While the number of attacks are slightly down from the previous year, they remain alarmingly high. The violence impacted both Muslim and non-Muslim religious communities, threatening Paki- stan’s stability. Map from the University of Texas at Austin Library
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Factsheet PAKISTAN Factsheet.pdf · against religious communities in Pakistan over the past 30 months. The 122 incidents of sectarian violence resulted in more than 1,200 casualties,
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PAKISTAN
August 2014
THE U.S. COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress.
732 N. Capitol St. N.W. ,
Suite A714 Washington, D.C. 20401 Phone: (202) 786-0613
August 2014 Violence Towards Religious Communities in Pakistan
Factsheet
The Religious Violence Project, an undertaking of the U.S. Commission on
International Religious Freedom, has tracked publicly-reported attacks
against religious communities in Pakistan over the past 30 months. The
latest report covers the period from July 2013 to June 2014, during which
122 incidents of sectarian violence resulted in more than 1,200 casualties,
including 430 deaths. While the number of attacks are slightly down from
the previous year, they remain alarmingly high. The violence impacted
both Muslim and non-Muslim religious communities, threatening Paki-
stan’s stability.
Map from the University of Texas at Austin Library
August 2014 PAKISTAN
Factsheet U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
The Shi’a Muslim community again bore the brunt of militant and terrorist attacks. The body count of Christians jumped due to the attack on All Saints Church in Peshawar in September 2013. Ahmadi Muslims continued to be victimized, with the May 2014 murder of a Canadian-American Ahmadi conducting humanitarian work and the recent mob attack on an Ahmadi home serving as graphic reminders of their vulnerability. Also, members of the Sunni Muslim majority were targeted for violence. The assassination of human rights lawyer Rashid Rehman in June 2014 for his defense of an individual accused of blasphemy was a high-profile attack on a person for his advocacy. The information gathered by the Project is based on reports and news articles in the public domain. The information is available thanks to the tireless work of human rights advocates and the openness of Pakistan’s media environment. The effort seeks to be inclusive, tracking all reported incidents involving physical attacks targeting a member of a religious community or a major religious gathering place (church, shrine, or mosque). However, it is not exhaustive and there are certain to be overlooked acts of violence. Also, each incident has not been independently verified, but the Factsheet provides a hyperlink to the supporting reporting.
The findings of the Project show that religious-based violence continues to persist, with little to no effective Pakistani government response at federal, provincial, or local levels. While the attacks occurred in the context of general episodes of violence confronting the entire country, the overall climate for religious freedom continues to deteriorate. For instance, the past year saw several individuals sentenced to death for activity considered blasphemous. Regarding attacks on religious groups, the government failed to take steps to hold perpetrators accountable or protect the vulnerable. For example, Malik Ishaq, the leader of the terrorist organization Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, responsible for repeated attacks against Shi’a Muslims, was released from jail in May 2014. And Rashid Rehman was threatened for weeks before his murder, yet the government was unable or unwilling to provide protection or investigate the threats. Basic law enforcement is needed, as well as reform or repeal of the abusive blasphemy and anti-Ahmadi laws, which encourage violence against innocents.
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August 2014 PAKISTAN
Factsheet U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Statistics on Targeted Violence against Religious Communities in Pakistan July 2013 – June 2014
OVERALL ATTACKS CASUALTIES Number of attacks Numbers Killed Numbers Injured Shi’a 54 Shi’a 222 Shi’a 289 Christians 22 Christians 128 Christians 185 Ahmadis 10 Ahmadis 10 Ahmadis 1 Sufis 7 Sufis 22 Sufis 59 Hindus 4 Hindus 0 Hindus 1 Sikhs 3 Sikhs 2 Sikhs 0 Other Groups 20 Other Groups 46 Other Groups 238 Total 122 Total 430 Total 773 EXAMPLES OF TYPES/METHODS OF ATTACKS: Targeted bombings Targeted shootings Rapes Shi’a 11 Shi’a 29 Shi’a 0 Christians 1 Christians 5 Christians 3 Ahmadis 0 Ahmadis 4 Ahmadis 0 Sufis 3 Sufis 3 Sufis 0 Hindus 0 Hindus 0 Hindus 0 Sikhs 0 Sikhs 1 Sikhs 0 Other Groups 4 Other Groups 6 Other Groups 0 Total 19 Total 48 Total 3
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August 2014 PAKISTAN
Factsheet U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
July 2012 – June 2013
OVERALL ATTACKS CASUALTIES Number of attacks Numbers Killed Numbers Injured Shi’a 54 Shi’a 514 Shi’a 769 Christians 32 Christians 7 Christians 33 Ahmadis 40 Ahmadis 17 Ahmadis 28 Hindus 10 Hindus 2 Hindus 2 Sikhs 2 Sikhs 1 Sikhs 0 Other Groups 12 Other Groups 26 Other Groups 121 Total 150 Total 567 Total 953 EXAMPLES OF TYPES/METHODS OF ATTACKS: Targeted bombings Targeted shootings Rapes Shi’a 17 Shi’a 28 Shi’a 0 Christians 0 Christians 3 Christians 3 Ahmadis 1 Ahmadis 20 Ahmadis 0 Hindus 0 Hindus 3 Hindus 5 Sikhs 0 Sikhs 0 Sikhs 0 Other Groups 4 Other Groups 3 Other Groups 0 Total 22 Total 57 Total 8
January 2012 – June 2012 OVERALL ATTACKS CASUALTIES Number of attacks Numbers Killed Numbers Injured Shi’a 23 Shi’a 121 Shi’a 65 Christians 5 Christians 4 Christians 3 Ahmadis 14 Ahmadis 5 Ahmadis 11 Hindus 6 Hindus 0 Hindus 2 Sikhs 1 Sikhs 0 Sikhs 0 Other Groups 4 Other Groups 20 Other Groups 74 Total 53 Total 150 Total 155 EXAMPLES OF TYPES/METHODS OF ATTACKS:
Targeted bombings Targeted shootings Rapes Shi’a 1 Shi’a 18 Shi’a 0 Christians 0 Christians 0 Christians 2 Ahmadis 0 Ahmadis 6 Ahmadis 0 Hindus 0 Hindus 0 Hindus 3 Sikhs 0 Sikhs 0 Sikhs 0 Other Groups 2 Other Groups 2 Other Groups 0 Total 3 Total 26 Total 5
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August 2014 PAKISTAN
Factsheet U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Violence against Shi’a
Incident Date (d/m/y) Location Casualties Type/method Source
A 45-year-old shopkeeper killed in Azizabad, a Shi’a enclave and site of many sectarian killings.
Factsheet U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Violence against Shi’a Two police officials killed and another policeman and a passerby critically wounded at Dhok Syedan by four gunmen on motorcycles. The police were providing security outside an Imambargah.
Azhar Abbas, a senior producer for Samaa television channel, his two sons, and his cousin were shot and injured by unidentified gunmen while riding a motorcycle.
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for two bomb attacks in Karachi that killed at least seven people and wounded at least 28 others.
Religious leader Agha Aftab Haider Jaffery and Shahid Ali killed by unidentified gunmen; three additional dead bodies found related to a second incident.
More than one dozen extremists equipped with fire arms attacked the construction site of a church in village Chack Number 3/4L, in Okara district of Punjab province of Pakistan.
3/4/14 Punjab Church damaged; unknown injuries & deaths
Factsheet U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Violence against Christians Boota Masih, a 58-year-old worker at the Liaqatabad Gold Market, killed by Muhammad Asif, his fellow worker, after allegedly blaspheming Islam.
Adnan Masih, an 18-year old resident of Sharaqpur Sharif District Sheikhupura in Punjab, tortured to death in police custody after ten days of illegal imprisonment.
Factsheet U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Violence against Ahmadis Police demolished minarets at an Ahmadi place of worship in Sialkot, after a group of protesters threatened to do so themselves.
9/21/13 Lahore Ahmadi place of worship damaged; no injuries or deaths reported