India using its ‘right of reply’ in its response to Pakistan’s statement in the 39th session of Human Rights Council hit out at Pakistan government for dismissing economist Atif Mian from their Economist Advisory Council because of his Ahmadiya faith.
Breaking: India hits out at Pakistan for removing economist Atif Mian from Economic Advisory Council because he is an Ahmadiya. Statement by India at UN HRC. India highlights Pak sponsored terror. India says, Pakistan is a state whose foundation laid on religious fundamentalism. pic.twitter.com/Bs5D5YGWxp
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 18, 2018
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government had asked Princeton University economist Atif R. Mian to step down from the Prime Minister Imran Khan-led Economic Advisory Council (EAC), PTI Senator Faisal Javed Khan announced on Friday. The decision, as furthered by Faisal Javed Khan, was taken due to the increasing pressure from the religiopolitical parties against the appointment of Atif Mian.
Minister of Information Fawad Chaudhary confirming the dismissal, had said that since the government wants to avoid division it has decided to withdraw the nomination of Dr Mian from the EAC. “The government wants to move forward alongside scholars and all social groups, and it is inappropriate if a single nomination creates an impression to the contrary,” he tweeted.
Ahmadis are designated non-Muslims in Pakistan’s Constitution and their beliefs are considered blasphemous in most mainstream Islamic schools of thought. They are often targeted by the extremists and their places of worship vandalised.
India denouncing Pakistan on the dismissal of Atif Mian said that a state whose foundation was laid on religious fundamentalism should not have any opinion on communal harmony and religious tolerance.
Responding to the statement made by Pakistan, India castigated Pakistan for not only aiding cross-border terrorism but for grossly violating human rights, especially in the territories under its control. India also went on to speak about the absence of constitutional and civil rights of people of Gilgit-Baltistan and the adversities they face because of Pakistan’s deliberate economic policies causing extreme hardships for the people living there.
Jemima Goldsmith, the ex-wife of the Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan, had also in her tweet revealed her disapproval and disappointment when she learnt that Mian was asked to step down due to his Ahmadi faith.
Indefensible & v disappointing. New Pak gov asks renowned & respected Prof of economics to stand down because of his Ahmadi faith. NB: The founder of Pakistan, “Quaid-I-Azam” appointed an Ahmadi as his Foreign Minister. https://t.co/qBubETGwOg
— Jemima Goldsmith (@Jemima_Khan) September 7, 2018
While tweeting her displeasure she attempted to remind the Pakistani government that the founder of Pakistan,’Quaid-I-Azam’ had then appointed an Ahmadi as his Foreign Minister.
The sudden displacement of Mian, however, came as a shocking revelation, reinforcing the thought that Pakistan does not keep up to its words, considering the Pakistan government had only three days ago defended the academic’s nomination, saying strongly that it will “not bow to extremists”.
