'My record is very clear in calling out Pakistan': USCIRF Commissioner Asif Mahmood flags religious repression

By Reena Bhardwaj Los Angeles [US], August 29 (ANI): United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Commissioner Dr Asif Mahmood has strongly criticised Pakistan over religious repression, saying his record of calling out Islamabad is 'very clear' and asserting that he has repeatedly raised concerns over the persecution of minorities, particularly the cases of forced conversion of Hindu girls. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Mahmood said that the issue has been repeatedly raised over concerns about religious freedom in Pakistan and China, including when officials from the two countries visit the United States. 'My record has been very clear, calling out Pakistan, calling out China. We had a hearing on China. We keep on raising issues whenever they have visited America, or whenever they will visit, we will bring it up,' Mahmood said. He made the remarks while responding to ANI when asked if he had raised such concerns with the White House or the US State Department during high-level visits by Pakistani officials. The USCIRF Commissioner said Pakistan had been repeatedly called out by the commission. 'On Pakistan we have raised this multiple times, multiple times on record,' he said. Mahmood also said he had personally spoken out against the treatment of religious minorities in Pakistan, highlighting what he described as particular concerns surrounding Hindu girls. 'Not only USCIRF, even on my personal account too, I have also challenged them time and again and again and I raised voice for Hindu girls especially,' he said. The USCIRF Commissioner underlined that the concerns extend beyond one community, pointing to Christians, Sikhs and Ahmadiyya Muslims as among the groups whose religious freedom remains a matter of concern. 'Not one time, not two times, multiple times and calling for action on that obviously, on Christians and Sikhs and Ahmadiyya. But specifically my focus of attention is Hindu girls who they are trying to do convert and play that game and that is very concerning,' he added. Mahmood further said Pakistan and China have both been recommended by USCIRF for designation as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC), a US designation for governments that engage in or tolerate particularly severe violations of religious freedom. 'China and Pakistan have also been recommended to be CPC, and Pakistan has been on CPC for a long time. I think it took a long time for the State Department to actually accept our recommendation,' he said. The remarks come as religious freedom and the treatment of minorities remain a recurring subject of scrutiny for Pakistan, as it fails to uphold human rights and sees cases of religious oppression. (ANI)