THE IMPACT OF ISLAMIZATION PROCESSES ON RELIGIOUS MINORITIES IN PAKISTAN
The article focuses on the analysis of the situation of religious minorities in Pakistan in the light of strengthening of radical Islamism observed in recent years. Most of the country’s population are Sunni Muslims. Religious minorities include Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Ahmadis, and others. The legal norms formed over the years of independence, in conjunction with legislative acts that have been in force since the British colonial period, define the specific and a kind of segregated status of these groups. Pakistani parties frequently used issues of religious affiliation and the legal status of non-Muslims in the internal political struggle. In addition, religious minorities have often fallen victims to the aggression of the Islamist extremists. In these conditions measures taken by the Pakistani authorities towards confessional minorities become significant as they largely reflect the mood in Pakistani society of a certain period. Today we are witnessing another phase of growth in Islamic sentiments in Pakistan caused not least by the Taliban (which is considered a terrorist organization) takeover in neighboring Afghanistan. The adherence to Islam and Islamic traditions demonstrated by the government of Imran Khan and the Pakistan Tehreek-e Insaf party, which he leads, also has an effect. As a result, the authorities are creating new organizations aimed at bringing various aspects of public life in line with Islam. These factors cannot but influence the position of religious minorities and may create obstacles for the development and implementation in practice of legal norms to regulate certain spheres of their life. It is difficult to expect soon any significant efforts by the Pakistani authorities to improve in practical terms the situation of religious minorities.