The grim situation in Delhi – wher
e violent mobs have seemingly been given a free hand by the a
dministration to lynch cit
izens from the minority Muslim population, to burn their property, and attack mosques – is highly deplorable. This is happening at a time when the people of Kashmir have already been under siege for seven months. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) believes that the Delhi violence and Kashmir siege warrant the internat
ional community’s immediate attention. Both develo
pments have made minorities across South Asia increasingly vulnerable. We have witnessed equally violent reactions to such events in the past. Communal violence in South Asia does not occur in a vacuum. There is often a domino effect that causes stat
e violence against minorities in one country to trigger violence against that minority in neighbouring countries. Our shared history, languages and cultures, and the fact that all South Asian states are bound to uphold their citizens’ human rights, should serve as collective strengths. HRCP calls on the internat
ional community and on all governments to make every effort to treat all minorities as equal citizens, and to guarantee their protection and wellbeing across the region.
