US report slams blasphemy card against Imran.

WASHINGTON -- An annual US report has once again criticised the Pakistan Democratic Movement government for using the blasphemy card against former prime minister Imran Khan.

The US report on international religious freedom, which was released in Washington on Monday, noted that several political leaders used inflammatory religious language to attack their political rivals last year. The annual report covers 2022 events.

'On Sept 13, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz party leader Javed Latif, in a press conference, accused former prime minister Imran Khan of 'attacking the basic principles of Islam' by 'supporting' the Ahmadiyya community while he was in office,' the report pointed out.

'Mr Latif accused Khan of giving interviews to foreign media in which he promised that Qadianis [Ahmadis] will be given religious freedom,' the report added.

The report also noted that JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rahman tweeted messages on Sept 7 calling Mr Khan a 'pro-Qadiani' and a 'Jewish agent'. Leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf responded by accusing the government of 'spreading religious bigotry and hatred', the report added.

Says blasphemy cases in Pakistan remain a substantial threat to religious freedom

Initial report

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which compiles the annual report, raised this issue in its initial report as well, which was released on May 1, noting that 'the new government under Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, which took office in April 2022, weaponised the country's blasphemy laws against Mr Khan and his cabinet members'.

The issue was also raised at a US State Department news briefing earlier this month when Spokesperson Vedant Patel said the United States 'strongly oppose(s) laws that impede the ability of any individuals ... to choose a faith, practice a faith, change their religion, not have a religion, or tell others about their religious beliefs and practices'.

The USCIRF report, which is sent to Congress as an official document, noted that blasphemy cases in Pakistan 'remained a substantial...