Pakistani human rights report slams clerics

A report by an independent human rights group in Pakistan has accused the government of being a silent spectator to the rise in religious extremism.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has blamed Islamic extremists for an upsurge in violence against religious minorities and women.

According to its annual report, women in rural Pakistan are often killed by relatives for bringing shame on their families, known as 'honour killings' -- which can mean a woman sitting next to a man who is not a relation.

The report said the government was colluding with extremists by not taking action. It accused clerics of spewing vicious hatred which it said had resulted in harassment and murder.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service