The Government of Pakistan on Wednesday welcomed the decision of the United States not to blacklist the Islamic republic as a violator of religious freedoms. "We welcome it. The US decision showed confidence in President Pervez Musharraf's policy of enlightened moderation," Information Minister Sheikh Rashid told AFP.
Enlightened moderation is key US ally Musharraf's buzzword for his vision of a more tolerant form of the religion.
The United States on Tuesday renewed its list of eight countries accused of violating religious freedoms, but turned back a request by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom to designate Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as "countries of particular concern".
Rashid said minority communities in Pakistan enjoyed complete religious freedom. "Temples and churches are safe in Pakistan and so are their worshippers," he said.
Religious violence, mainly between Sunnis and Shias, has claimed more than 4,000 lives since the late 1980s, but Rashid blamed the incidents on extremists.
He said Musharraf's government was "very firm not to allow religious intolerance and all such organisations which preached hatred and militancy had already been banned".