Following strong protest by Pakistan, the United States of America on Wednesday has announced not to put sanctions on Islamabad despite blacklisting for religious freedom violations.
The Trump administration has exempted Pakistan from sanctions that affect the countries added to the US annual list of nations that violate religious freedom.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo waived the sanctions as it favored US national interest.
Earlier, the Foreign Office rejected the US State Department’s “unilateral and politically motivated” blacklisting of Pakistan over alleged violation of religious freedom.
“Pakistan rejects the US State Department’s unilateral and politically motivated pronouncement released today in the context of its annual religious freedom report,” the Foreign Office said in a statement today.
“Besides the clear biases reflected from these designations, there are serious questions on the credentials and impartiality of the self proclaimed jury involved in this unwarranted exercise.”
It said Pakistan is a multi-religious and pluralistic society where people of diverse faiths and denominations live together. Around four per cent of our total population comprises citizens belonging to Christian, Hindu, Budhists and Sikh faiths, it added.
