Persistent Human Rights Violations In Pakistan Not Only Violate UN Charter But Also Islam's Pristine Values: Sultan Shahin Tells The UNHRC In Geneva In An Oral Statement Submitted On Durban Declaration

By Sultan Shahin, Founder-Editor, New Age Islam 2 October 2025 Oral Statement submitted by Sultan Shahin (Full name: Syed Sultan Ahmad Jilani), Special Representative of Asian-Eurasian Human Rights Forum (AEHRF) at 60th session of the Human Rights Council, 08 September to 08 October 2025 Agenda Item9: General Debate On Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia And Related Forms Of Intolerance NGÔ: Asian-Eurasian Human Rights Forum (AEHRF) Date: 2 October 2025 Madame Vice- President, Despite UN efforts to counter racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance for decades, these scourges continue to plague humanity across societies., I want to highlight what UN human rights experts said on 24 July 2025 asking “the government of Pakistan to take concrete measures to prevent extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and attacks against places of worship and cemeteries amid ongoing violence and discrimination against religious minorities, including the Ahmadi community.” These experts including several Special Rapporteurs like Irene Khan, Nazila Ghanea, Reem Alsalem, Morris Tidball-Binz, etc., said: “We are shocked at reports of increasing violence against vulnerable communities on grounds of their religion or belief. These communities have witnessed relentless attacks, killings and unending harassment for months in the context of hostility and advocacy of hatred against them.” It is particularly shocking for us Muslims as Pakistan is not only a signatory to the UN Charter but claims to run a government of Islamic orientation and the society is supposed to be Muslim with Islamic scholars wielding great influence. The Holy Quran repeatedly calls for protection of human rights, right to life, liberty, freedom of expression and freedom of religion. Prophet Mohammad had governed Madina on the basis of Meesaq -e-Madina which gave freedom to all religious communities to be governed by their own religious laws. So, Pakistan is clearly violating Islam’s pristine values too. As the UN experts pointed out: “In the past year alone, the Ahmadiyya community has endured numerous human rights violations, including killings, deaths in custody, and arbitrary detention. They have also been the target of religious discrimination, with the demolition of a historic 100-year-old mosque in Daska, the closure of a mosque in Malir, Karachi, the destruction of minarets in Bahawalnagar, desecration of at least 82 Ahmadi graves in Kotli, Azad Kashmir, mass arrests of minors and persons with disabilities in Sargodha, Daska and Pasrur, and violent attacks during Eid celebrations in Azizabad, Karachi, during which mosques were vandalised. It is reported that Ahmadi mosques in major cities like Karachi and Lahore have been sealed or forcibly shut down. Women, particularly in detention on blasphemy charges, face significant gendered harms. “These violations demonstrate widespread hostility towards Ahmadis in Pakistan exacerbated by hate speech and incitement to violence by political and religious figures,” the experts said. The experts stressed that there was an upsurge in reported cases of human rights violations against minorities despite a resolution at the Pakistan National Assembly in June 2024 urging Federal and Provincial Governments to ensure the safety and security of all citizens of Pakistan. They also called on Pakistan to repeal its blasphemy laws. This call for repealing Blasphemy Laws have been made again and again, not only by UN experts and Human rights defenders but also by moderate and progressive Islamic scholars. However, that has not made any difference to the prevailing situation on the ground up till now. As the UN Experts advised: “Pakistan must break the pattern of impunity that has allowed perpetrators of attacks and incitement to hatred and violence to act without restraint.” Most shockingly, they said: “These attacks take place with tacit official complicity whilst the cycle of fear prevents people and institutions from upholding the rights and dignity of these minorities.” “We stand ready and willing to support the Pakistani Government in effective implementation of its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other international human rights instruments,” the experts said. The experts have raised concernsabout allegations of discrimination against minority communities with the Pakistani Government, especially allegations of violence against the Ahmadi community and vigilante violence following accusations of blasphemy. Thank you, Madame Vice- President URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-human-rights/hr-violations-pakistan-un-pristine-values-unhrc-durban-declaration/d/137080 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism