Minorities in Pakistan

The article “Pakistan’s shrinking minority space” (Aug. 1) draws a grim picture of the persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan, with the covert sanction of the authorities. Even some sects of Muslims are not spared from the atrocities of the fundamentalists.

One wonders where the U.S., the so-called saviour of religious freedom across the globe, is. Whatever happened to the International Religious Freedom Act? Has it become defunct or is it applied to only selective countries?

Ravi Mannethu,

Pullad, Kerala

The first Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Zafarullah Khan, belonged to the Ahmadiya sect. Time has changed and politics has been mixed with religion to such a level that the true spirit of religion has been forgotten. This has nothing to do with Islam. The first known constitution of Islam put forward by the Prophet was called the Charter of Medina. Medina at that time consisted of Jews, non-Muslim Arabs and Muslims. It clearly stated that all parties signing the charter would form a common nationality, would remain united in peace or in war, and if any of the parties was attacked by an enemy, others would defend it with their combined forces.

Salahuddin,

Kozhikode