After the Indian government notified the rules for the implementation of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in India, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen criticized the law, stating that it should provide protection to all individuals regardless of their religion.
He also denied any persecution of minorities in Afghanistan and claimed that they were able to freely practice their religious beliefs and had equal rights under the law. The CAA, which was passed in 2019, aimed to expedite the process of granting citizenship to non-Muslims from neighboring countries who were allegedly facing persecution. However, it sparked protests and was criticized for going against secular principles.
The law has a cut-off date of December 31, 2014 for refugees to qualify. Shaheen hoped that Indian Muslims would not face persecution as Hindus and Sikhs allegedly do in Afghanistan. In response, Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson also condemned the CAA for discriminating against individuals based on their religion and stated that it was based on false assumptions about the treatment of minorities in neighboring countries. This ongoing debate highlights the complexities of immigration and citizenship laws, and their impact on religious and ethnic minorities in South Asia.
