International Religious Freedom (IRF) Pakistan

IRF Roundtable Pakistan

Pakistan Interfaith League has taken up the challenge to initiate and lead IRF Roundtable in Pakistan after having participated in the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, 2019 to share the goal set by Ambassador Sam Brownback to hold 100 Roundtables, by end of year 2019.

Pakistan Interfaith League has the privilege of being recognized by the Government of Pakistan, important State Departments, Civil Society Sector, Media and the Diplomatic Community which will facilitate PIL in organizing IRF Roundtable in Pakistan. PIL will engage its existing network of Parliamentarians, law makers, Government functionaries, civil society representatives, human rights activists, faith leaders of different beliefs, journalists, lawyers, academia, corporate heads, Media and people who matter.

Pakistan Interfaith League strongly believes that IRF Roundtable can effectively deliberate towards changing mindsets, prejudices, age old misconceptions and finding ways to combat Religious Intolerance, extremism, and hatred for other religions for putting an end to religious persecution in Pakistan.

At this crucial point in time, when innocent Christians, Ahmadis, Shia Muslims, Hazara Community and Hindus are being endlessly persecuted in the name of religion, it calls for all those who believe in Religious Freedom, to join hands, and facilitate the ones who are willing to come to the forefront to raise voice against the extreme hostility of people in the power corridors.

The IRF Roundtable Pakistan is an initiative that aims to reverse the rising tide of restrictions on religious freedom, religious intolerance and discrimination on the basis of religion by bringing together people from different communities, religious beliefs, ethnicities and cultures and providing them a safe place for bringing forth their grievances and exploring avenues for joint advocacy and lobbying to address issues and challenges regarding the protection and promotion of fundamental rights and religious freedom.

The mission of IRF Roundtable Pakistan is to help establish political will among law makers for amending and/or repealing discriminatory laws that hinder Religious Freedom in Pakistan. It will also serve to strengthen the justice system which will help to promote religious tolerance and inter & intra-faith harmony for a peaceful co-existence among the majority and minority communities.

Pakistan Interfaith League is working on a two-pronged strategy:

Advocating and Lobbying with Policy Makers for legislative reforms on Religious Freedom
Mobilising masses to support and accept Religious Freedom for peaceful coexistence

PIL has formed an IRF Roundtable National Advisory Board which is responsible for starting and overlooking the smooth running of IRF Roundtables at National and Provincial level, in consultation with IRF USA.

PIL has allocated space to establish IRF Roundtable National Secretariat in Islamabad and has appointed a permanent Secretary General for IRF Roundtable Pakistan. The Roundtable meets regularly with attendance from Parliamentarians, Government functionaries, civil society representatives, faith leaders, journalists, lawyers, academia and corporate heads.

The Roundtable strives to convince the Majority community in particular that the aim of demanding Religious Freedom for the Minorities is neither to challenge the sovereignty of Pakistan not its ideology. Hence members of the Majority community should not feel threatened or insecure as their rights will not be curtailed in any way nor would their religious beliefs be challenged.