European Union raises concerns over misuse of blasphemy law in Pakistan

Josep Borrell, Vice-President of the European Commission, has raised specific concerns over the misuse of the blasphemy law in Pakistan while co-chairing sixth round of the EU-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue in Brussels along with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, writes ETV Bharat's Saurabh Sharma

New Delhi: Expressing his deep concerns on the death penalty and the misuse of the blasphemy law in Pakistan, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission (HR/VP) Josep Borrell, on Wednesday raised specific concerns over the misuse of the blasphemy law in Pakistan.

Borrel, who co-chaired the sixth round of the EU-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue in Brussels along with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, also hoped that the Anti-Torture Bill and other human rights-related legislation that were before the Parliament would be adopted soon.

A few days back, an executive of a Sri Lankan garment factory was lynched and his body was burnt by supporters of a hardline Islamist party who attacked the facility at Sialkot in the Punjab province of Pakistan over blasphemy allegations. Since then, Pakistan has been facing extreme criticism from around the globe, pushing its image to a nation with no respect for human rights and where law and order is being handled by some Islamic hardline miscreants.

Barrel's comments came as a reaction to the incident. The rampant killing in the name of blasphemy is ruining and spoiling the atmosphere of Pakistani society from within, giving validity to monstrous crime and human rights violations in a country that is ranked 158 out of 161 countries in the 2021 Global Peace Index.

However, Pakistan as of now has something to be proud of despite its tainted image around the globe for its involvement in state-sponsored terrorism, financing terror funds, etc. After a long gap, Pakistan has finally received some international applaud from the European Union who has welcomed the progress made by Pakistan in implementing the Financial Action Task Force Plan, and also lauded the adoption of the ‘Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill’ by parliament.

Under the specified act, journalists and media professionals can work with absolute freedom of expression via a legal and an institutional framework which would subsequently provide a conducive environment to media.

Although, this development must have boosted the spirit of Pakistan's state but even now Pakistan remains on the 'Grey List' for all the obvious reasons, which has restricted the country’s access to international loans along with facing international humiliation.

As per by the statements, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to resolve and protect human rights as well as fundamental freedom, focusing on freedom of religion and belief, inter-faith harmony, religious tolerance, and peaceful coexistence, and rights of the minorities.

Commitment to work together

The two sides also reaffirmed their commitment to further enhance EU-Pakistan mutual engagement, mainly on security and regional cooperation.

This comes up at a time when Islamabad has been facing extreme internal rifts within their political structure which is largely dominated by ISI and also the situation in their neighboring country which now has come under the direct control of the Taliban, a Jihadi force that was mainly built up and sponsored by Islamabad, Saudi and the United States.

Pakistan-EU also agreed to hold the first meeting of the new EU-Pakistan security dialogue with sub-groups on non-proliferation and disarmament and counter-terrorism in 2022.

Qureshi raises concerns about Kashmir, Islamophobia around the world

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi while speaking at the platform raised concerns around Islamophobic acts, xenophobia, and religious intolerance in the world and the urgency to solve the issue.

Qureshi also took up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and expressed deep concern about human rights violations allegedly committed by New Delhi and efforts to change the demography of the region.

This statement is a reiteration of Islamabad's perpetuation of raising the issue of J&K at every international forum, be it the bilateral talks or of any regional or strategic grouping.

Though Qureshi's views on J&K are an attempt to internationalise the issue, Borrell welcomed the February 2021 agreement between India and Pakistan for observance of ceasefire at the Line of Control and as of now no comment has been made by the EU on the Kashmir issue which in this particular context marked the failure of Pakistan's continuous efforts to internationalise the issue of J&K.

EU-Pakistan also expressed strong political commitment towards the GSP+ and the implementation of 27 international conventions on human rights, labour rights and protection of the environment and good governance that are linked to it.

The two sides also discussed views on the situation in Afghanistan and agreed on the importance of maintaining sustained engagement with Afghanistan to promote stability and counter drug trade and the threat of terrorism.

Both sides also reaffirmed their commitment to support dialogue among the Afghan parties for achieving national reconciliation and agreed on the need for continuing urgent and unhindered humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people who are facing an extreme humanitarian crisis as the winter approaches.