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Pakistan and the apartheid analogy
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The State of Pakistan's treatment of the Ahmadiyya Muslims has been compared by critics of Pakistan's policy to South Africa's treatment of non-whites during its apartheid era. Pakistani constitution (in second amendment) officially declares Ahmadis as non-Muslims which in a Muslim majority country with preferential treatment for Muslims amounts to declaring Ahmadis as untouchables. Ordinance XX as example of apartheid The Ordinance XX categorically puts limitations on Ahmadi Muslims' rights and leaves their rights on the pleasure of majority. ORDINANCE NO. XX OF 1984 PART II - AMENDMENT OF THE PAKISTAN PENAL CODE (ACT XLV OF 1860) (3) 298C... Any person of the Quadiani group or the Lahori group (who call themselves ‘Ahmadis’ or by any other name), who … invites others to accept his faith, by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations, or in any manner whatsoever outrages the religious feelings of Muslims, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine. Political rights, voting and representation, judiciary Ahmadi Muslims are required to declare themselves as non-Muslims against their beliefs which effectively bars Ahmadi Muslims form registering for vote and to stand in elections. Judiciary has also bowed to the religious fanatics as is evident in a number of case decisions in recent years. Passports, National identification cards and Religious Profiling Pakistani Muslims are required to disavow Ahmadiyya beliefs when applying in Europe for a passport renewal: : "I …… hereby solemnly declare that:- : "(i) I am a Muslim and believe in the absolute and unqualified finality of the Prophethood of Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) - the last of the Prophets. : "(ii) I do not recognize any person who claims to be a prophet in any sense of the word or of any description whatsoever after Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) or recognize such a claimant as a prophet or a religious reformer as a Muslim. : "(iii) I consider Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Quadiani to be an impostor nabi and also consider his followers whether belonging to the Lahori or Qadiani group to be Non-Muslim." Media In 2008, the Asian Human Rights Commission protested that the government of Pakistan had taken no action against a TV journalist who had made "stoked religious hatred" of the Ahmadi community. Ahmadiyya Muslims are not invited to present their views on the media , thus allowing only anti-Ahmadiyya prejudice to be spread in the Pakistan society.
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