The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on 19 August raised alarm over growing violence against Christians and Hindus, during a seminar in Lahore that launched its latest report.
The report, Streets of Fear: Freedom of Religion and Belief in 2024/25, presents a troubling overview of religious freedom and minority rights in the past year, documenting worsening attacks across the country.
The findings show a rise in violence against minorities, including targeted killings of Ahmadis and demolitions of protected places of worship, while two blasphemy suspects were killed by police after fleeing hostile mobs.
Pakistan remains an Islamic republic where Muslims account for nearly 95 percent of the population, leaving less than five percent for religious minorities such as Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadis.
The report also cites forced conversions and child marriages involving Hindu and Christian girls in Punjab and Sindh, pointing to weak enforcement of marriage restraint laws and deep systemic failures.
HRCP warns that hate speech is spreading unchecked, noting threats against the Supreme Court Chief Justice and public attacks on lawmakers, as extremist groups grow more emboldened in a shrinking civic space.
A Christian rights activist voiced concern over the government’s inaction, saying Pakistan has failed to address the root causes of systemic discrimination against religious minorities.
Attaurrehman Saman, Deputy Director of Research and Publications at the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) of the Bishops’ Conference, said the report exposes a cycle of violence that shows no sign of ending.
“Yet the most important question remains: why is this violence increasing? At a time when the world is moving toward greater inclusion, why are we, as a nation, slipping back into regressive cycles of intolerance and brutality?” he asked.
The HRCP report also criticizes the growing alignment of bar associations with extremist groups, saying this trend undermines judicial independence and facilitates abuse of blasphemy laws for extortion and harassment.
HRCP Chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt noted in a press release that limited progress has been made, such as the passage of the Child Marriage Restraint Act 2025 and provincial laws creating centres of excellence to counter violent extremism.
The group urges the federal government to form an inquiry commission into blasphemy entrapment cases, and to monitor Islamic seminaries often linked to forced conversions of Christian and Hindu girls.
The report calls for better police training in intelligence gathering, riot detection, crowd control, and community policing, stressing that authorities must act swiftly against those inciting or leading mob attacks.
As in previous reports, HRCP presses the government to establish a statutory national commission on minority rights, ensuring equal representation for all religious communities.
Saman said it is alarming that seventy-eight years after independence, minorities are still treated as a burden and stigma in society.
“This is not only a failure of governance but also a reflection of deep social fractures and a lack of political will to address the issues facing religious minorities,” he said.
He warned that unless Pakistan addresses systemic discrimination, the misuse of religion in politics, and impunity for perpetrators, the country cannot move toward a just and equitable society.
