The State Department’s action is “short of what is needed”, and goes against “the strong stance” President Trump had taken on Pakistan recently, ” according to US Commission on International Religious Freedoms, (USCIRF)

 
In an announcement made on Jan 4 in Washington, the US State Department has placed Pakistan on its newly created “Special Watch List” (SWL) of countries that tolerate severe violation of religious freedoms. The decision falls short of USCIRF (US Commission on International Religious Freedoms) recommendation that Pakistan be elevated to the “Countries of Particular Concern” level. In fact, the strong stance that President Trump has taken on Pakistan recently has raised the prospects of Pakistan being placed in CPC this year. No surprise the USCIRF was not pleased. “… the failure to designate Pakistan as a CPC this year comes as a surprise and disappointment”, the Commission chairman Daniel Mark said, saying that the State Department’s action is “short of what is needed”.
The Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2016 authorises the State Department to name the World’s Worst Violators of Religious Freedom for severe religious freedom violations. USCIRF recommends the names of the countries that qualify to be on the list. In April 2017, the Commission recommended 16 countries for the honour. These countries are Myanmar, Central African Republic, China, Eritrea, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam besides Pakistan. These nations violate religious freedom in a “systematic, ongoing, egregious” manner, And Chairman Daniel Mark believes that the designation of these countries as CPC is a key step in ensuring continued U.S. engagement in support of international religious freedom.

The  US State Department’s decision to place Pakistan on its newly created “Special Watch List” (SWL) of countries that tolerate severe violation of religious freedoms, falls short of USCIRF (US Commission on International Religious Freedoms) recommendation that Pakistan be elevated to the “Countries of Particular Concern” level.

But the State Department has not gone the full hog guided apparently by its strategic, diplomatic and political considerations. It only named ten countries as CPC. And left out the Central African Republic, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Syria, and Vietnam.
The then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who took the decision in August last, however stuck to the usual refrain that religious freedom is a “core American value…and universal human right.” He also commented that religious freedom is a “human rights priority” for the Trump Administration.
USCIRF was highly encouraged by Tillerson’s words and urged the Secretary of State to make additional CPC designations consistent with that bold and forceful statement. This did not happen.
The State Department has however created the “Special Watch List”, and placed only Pakistan on the List. USCIRF is not hiding its unhappiness.

But the State Department has not gone the full hog guided apparently by its strategic, diplomatic and political considerations. It only named ten countries as CPC. And left Pakistan out of CPC list  amongst others.

Said Chairman Mark: “Pakistan continues to harass its religious minorities, has state-sanctioned discrimination against groups such as the Ahmadis, and tolerates extra-judicial violence in the guise of opposing blasphemy. As USCIRF has said for many years, Pakistan should be designated by the State Department as a CPC. Given the strong stance that President Trump has taken on Pakistan recently, the failure to designate Pakistan as a CPC this year comes as a surprise and disappointment.”
Pakistan continues to be hot bed of intolerance and hate speeches. This is clear from the protests in the wake of freedom from gallows for a poor Christian woman, Aasia Bibi in a decades old Blasphemy case. Will the State Department revisit its “Special Watch List” (SWL) status for the land of the pure? Well, like in all decisions American, it will depend on what transpires in the foreign policy theatre.

-By M Rama Rao