Coming just weeks after the release of Asia Bibi, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said his country will not just stand by and watch persecution carried out.
The move follows a warning issued by the US last year that further action would be taken if Pakistan didn’t make changes.
Addressing the concern, Mr Pompeo said: “In far too many places across the globe, individuals continue to face harassment, arrests, or even death for simply living their lives in accordance with their beliefs.”
“The United States will not stand by as spectators in the face of such oppression. Protecting and promoting international religious freedom is a top foreign policy priority of the Trump administration.
“Safeguarding religious freedom is vital to ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity.”
Nine other countries remain on the list of Countries of Particular Concern — China, Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Addressing the reasons for Pakistan’s inclusion, Samuel Brownback – the US ambassador at large for international religious freedom, said: “Of the world’s population of people that are in prison for blasphemy, half of them are in Pakistani prisons, including Asia Bibi, who was recently released and is now awaiting a re-hearing of sorts by the supreme court of Pakistan.
“Also, the Pakistani Government criminalizes the identification…
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