Vilification of Other Religions in Pakistani Textbooks Catches the Attention of US Policymakers

August 23, 2005

Source: The Times of India

http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1208153.cms

On August 23, 2005 The Times of India reported, "Pakistan's state-sponsored bigotry and vilification of other religions has caught the attention of US policy makers following a raft of articles in the American media about the intolerance the country's formal education system is breeding. In an unusually tough statement recently, the US state department said reports of continu- Bijit Kundu ed teaching of prejudice in Pakistan was a matter of 'serious concern'' and Washington was having 'ongoing discussions' with Islamabad on the issue... Some of the material taught in Pakistani schools includes describing Jews as tightfisted moneylenders, Christians as vengeful conquerors, and Hindus as devious and cowardly people. Such passages remain in the textbooks despite the Musharraf regime's promise to clean up its act."