Subscribe to RSS Feed
441-01247 (Foreign affairs)
Original language of petition: English
Petition to the House of Commons
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:
Whereas:
Muhammad Naeem Chatta Qadri, a senior cleric from the Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP), in a recent speech, has called for violence against Ahmadiyya Muslim pregnant women and children, "to ensure that no new Ahmadis are born", and "those [Ahmadi] babies that are being born, should be killed";
Muhammad Naeem Chatta Qadri has also said that "those who are the Blasphemers of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), we will kill them and cut them in pieces", and led slogans that "there is but only one punishment for blasphemers, killing";
Ahmadi children in Punjab's Attock district have been expelled from school for their religious beliefs;
Pakistan is a signatory to the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that "everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom ... to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance"; and
Canadians are concerned about the the safety and security of all minorities in Pakistan, including Ahmadiyya Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, and other Muslim minorities.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons and the Government of Canada to:
- 1. Condemn the encouragement and call to violence, against Ahmadi women and children, made by political actors of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik, especially Muhammad Naeem Chatta Qadri;
- 2. Defend the rights of Pakistani Ahmadi children to attend school;
- 3. Urge the Pakistani government to openly condemn violence against Ahmadi Muslims and all religious minorities; and
- 4.Urge the Pakistani government to reform or eliminate their blasphemy laws, which disproportionately target religious minorities.
Response by the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob Oliphant
The Government of Canada is concerned by the ongoing persecution of Pakistan’s religious minorities, including the Ahmadi Muslim community, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Shia Muslims. The promotion and protection of human rights, including freedom of religion or belief and the right to education, is a global foreign policy priority for Canada. It is also a key area of Canadian engagement in Pakistan. Freedom of religion or belief is a universal human right enshrined in key international human rights documents, and is intrinsically linked to other fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of expression, of assembly, and of association. Everyone should have the freedom to practice their religion or belief without fear of persecution or violence regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity or nationality.
Canada is deeply concerned by the persecution of the Ahmadi Muslim community in Pakistan. Canada condemns in the strongest terms incitement of and calls to violence against Ahmadi Muslims. Religious intolerance and discrimination, no matter their form, are completely unacceptable.
Canada consistently calls on Pakistan to respect, protect and promote freedom of religion or belief for all, and will continue to advocate for these values to be upheld. Canada has made its views on human rights and freedom of religion or belief known directly to Pakistani government officials at the federal and provincial level, as well as with the Pakistani High Commission in Ottawa, as recently as March 2023.
Canada continues to engage first hand with the Ahmadi Muslim community and works to support civil society actors, human rights defenders, and local advocates. The Canadian High Commission in Pakistan also closely monitors specific cases of human rights violations and has engaged with government and civil society stakeholders to support victims, including by facilitating their access to legal advice and assistance.
Canada works with international partners to protect and promote freedom of religion or belief, including through the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief (ICG-FoRB), which Canada established in 2015 to encourage and deepen multilateral coordination on this critical issue. Canada uses its position of leadership at the ICG FoRB to advocate on behalf of persecuted faith and belief communities internationally, including the Ahmadi Muslim Community in Pakistan. Furthermore, Canada continues to promote freedom of religion or belief, most recently sharing its concerns regarding the persecution of Ahmadi Muslims and other religious minorities during the 52nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, in March 2023.
Rest assured that the Government of Canada will remain steadfast in its engagement on this issue, as well as other human rights concerns.
- Presented to the House of Commons
-
Garnett Genuis
(Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan)
March 30, 2023 (Petition No. 441-01247) - Government response tabled
- May 15, 2023
Only validated signatures are counted towards the total number of signatures.