E/CN.4/1996/95/Add.1 page 3 Introduction 1. From 12 to 22 June 1995, the Special Rapporteur on the question of religious intolerance made a visit to Pakistan under his terms of reference at the invitation of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. 2. In the course of his visit, the Special Rapporteur went to Islamabad (12-14 June and 22 June), Lahore (15-18 June) and Karachi (19-21 June) in order to meet official representatives of the federal authorities (Foreign Affairs, Religious Affairs, Minorities, Interior and Justice Ministries) and provincial authorities (in particular the Ministry of the Interior of Punjab in Lahore). He also interviewed members of the Council for Islamic Ideology, the Supreme Court, religious and political leaders of religious minorities, independent personalities and representatives of non-governmental organizations, including the Commission on Human Rights of Pakistan, the Human Rights Society of Pakistan and Women’s Action Forum. 3. The Special Rapporteur would like to thank the Pakistani authorities for this very first visit to Pakistan by a Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights. He is also extremely grateful to the various personalities he met when preparing and making the visit, as well as to the representatives of UNDP and UNICEF for their cooperation. 4. During his visit, the Special Rapporteur concentrated particularly on studying legislation in the field of tolerance and non-discrimination based on religion or belief, its implementation and current policies, and on identifying factors conducive to the elimination or maintenance of all forms of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief. 5. Pakistan, which has an area of 803,943 km2 and which became an independent State in August 1947, is made up of four provinces: Punjab, Sind, North West Frontier Province and Baluchistan. It has an estimated population of 131,430,000 inhabitants, of whom 97 per cent are Muslims, and a high rate of illiteracy (63.6 per cent). 1/ Islam is recognized as the religion and foundation of the State. I. LEGISLATION IN THE FIELD OF TOLERANCE AND NON-DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RELIGION OR BELIEF A. 1. Summary of legislation Constitutional provisions 6. Article 20 of the Constitution (1973) proclaims every citizen’s right to profess his own religion, subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law or are necessary to protect public order and morality. Article 21 defends the principle of non-discrimination with regard to the payment of special religious taxes, while article 22 supports amongst others the principle of non-discrimination in educational institutions.