IV

107TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. RES. 348

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to violations in Pakistan of the freedom of individuals to profess and practice

religion or belief.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 14, 2002

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr.

PITTS, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, and Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on

International Relations

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with

respect to violations in Pakistan of the freedom of individuals to profess and practice religion or belief.

Whereas under Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights, ‘‘Everyone has the right to freedom of

thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either

alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance’’;

Whereas under Article 18 of the International Covenant on

Civil and Political Rights, ‘‘No one shall be subject to co-
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ercion which would impair his freedom to have or adopt

a religion or belief of his choice’’;

Whereas freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief is

inextricably linked to the exercise of other rights, including the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, the right to freedom of association with others,

and the right to freedom of expression, and the recognition that all persons are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection

of the law, including in employment;

Whereas the Department of State’s annual reports on religious freedom and human rights have documented numerous instances of legal and government discrimination

in Pakistan based on religion or belief;

Whereas Pakistani Christians face tremendous persecution

under that country’s Blasphemy Law, which is applied

arbitrarily upon the accusation of insult to the Prophet

Mohammed or the Holy Koran and can carry the death

penalty;

Whereas minority Muslim groups in Pakistan also face oppression, as some have been declared ‘‘not Muslims’’ in

the eyes of the law and their practice of elements of

Islam is therefore considered blasphemous;

Whereas under current Martial Ordinance XX of 1984, everyday life of an Ahmadi Muslim has been turned into a

crime, and quotidian religious observances, such as the

traditional Muslim greeting ‘‘peace be upon you’’ and the

call to prayer are criminal acts punishable with imprisonment when practiced by members of the Ahmadiyya community;
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Whereas Church of Pakistan Bishop Alexander John Malik

has described the Blasphemy Law as a ‘‘license to harass, enslave and eliminate minorities and legalize religious persecution’’;

Whereas while the blasphemy laws remain in place, Pakistan’s religious minorities are defenseless against opportunism and malice; and

Whereas General Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan explained

that his ‘‘view is of a tolerant Islam, Islam in the true

sense, and not an Islam which is manipulated for political

gains . . . Islam is a ‘deen’, a way of life . . . I am a

believer in taking Islam in its real, progressive form—a

much broader futuristic view rather than a dogmatic and

retrogressive one’’: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) calls on General Pervez Musharraf of Paki3 stan to repeal the Blasphemy Law, which has be4 come an instrument of repression;

5 (2) urges General Musharraf to repeal Martial

6 Ordinance XX which is in conflict with international

7 law and the basic human right of freedom of reli8 gion;

9 (3) appeals to General Musharraf to release

10 prisoners jailed under Ordinance XX and the Blas11 phemy Law;

12 (4) asks General Musharraf to repeal the 8th

13 Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan declar14 ing Ahmadis ‘‘not Muslims’’ under the law;
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1 (5) encourages General Musharraf to eliminate

2 the requirement to declare one’s religion when apply3 ing for a passport or swear to exclusive statements

4 regarding religion, admission to an educational insti5 tution, obtaining the national identity card, or em6 ployment; and

7 (6) calls upon the President and the Secretary

8 of State to—

9 (A) raise violations of the freedom of

10 thought, conscience, religion, or belief, at every

11 appropriate level with representatives of the

12 Government of Pakistan, including during dis13 cussions regarding terrorism and nuclear pro14 liferation; and

15 (B) include experts on religious liberty on

16 United States delegations to Pakistan and to

17 appropriate regional and international meetings.

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