A promise made but not kept: religious freedom in Pakistan

The promises of Pakistan’s founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah are still far from becoming reality, argues Qamar Rafiq. 

Religious freedom was promised by Pakistan’s founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, on 11 August 1947 and in some ways and parts of the country progress has been made. The air force pilot Kamran Masih has recently been celebrated by wide sectors of society for his actions during the recent India-Pakistan conflict, with mention made of him being a Christian, and this even though there has been disagreement about the exact nature of his involvement.

And yet the daily experience of many from religious minorities tells a different story in which blasphemy business gangs operate with impunity and the fundamental right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) remains under constant threat.

The government has repeatedly failed to protect girls from minority communities from the vicious cycle of forced conversion and marriages. And this failure continues to manifest itself in the daily realities of religious persecution, mob violence, and rising intolerance, woven deeply into the fabric of Pakistan’s society.

Hindus, Christians and Sikhs in Pakistan continue to face the challenges of economic hardships and social exclusion.

Many minority families, especially in rural areas, live in grinding poverty, with limited access to employment opportunities.

This reflects not only a policy failure but also an economic imbalance which grants privileges and rights based on religious identity. It appears that minority communities are abandoned by those who have the responsibility to safeguard their basic rights.

Despite numerous International calls, including urgent appeals from Amnesty International for urgent action to protect religious minorities and to immediately end the systemic suppression, Pakistan has historically denied concerns raised by International bodies.  

A growing body of evidence suggests religious freedom can only flourish when legal protections are embraced through a societal commitment to a shared ‘humanity’ where differences are not simply tolerated but adopted as part of the national identity. 

But the recent backlash to a speech by lawmaker Senator Pervaiz Rashid, in which he reaffirmed the state’s responsibility to protect the rights of religious minorities, suggests that in Pakistan this is often not the case.

Referring to a tragic incident, Senator Rashid condemned the practice of interrogating individuals about their religious views, arguing that such actions are hostile, discriminatory and contrary to the principles of a pluralistic society. But his call sparked widespread backlash across various segments of society.

This reaction reveals a deep-rooted discomfort in the society when even the most basic calls for religious tolerance and acceptance are raised. It highlights one of the underlying obstacles to religious freedom in Pakistan: the enduring societal reluctance to accept minority communities as equal citizens. Hopes for full religious freedom and a truly inclusive society which makes space for faith communities seems to be slipping further away each day.

Religious oppression does more than suppress voices; it burdens individuals with guilt, forcing them to bear the weight of their faith in a society that regards it as a deformity.

The latest report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has once again designated Pakistan as a ‘country of particular concern’. 

This comes as no surprise, as the country continues its descent into an increasingly intolerant society exhibited by alarming levels of religious persecution. The report revealed that religious freedom faces considerable challenges, with authorities taking barely meaningful action. As a result, the Commission has called for decisive action against those who incite or engage in vigilante violence, target killings, forced conversion, and other religion-based crimes.

The Commission has urged the US government to impose targeted sanctions on Pakistani officials and government agencies that have failed to uphold their duty to prevent severe violations of religious freedom and human rights.

The US Congress should integrate interests of religious freedom into its border oversight of the US-Pakistan bilateral relationship through Congressional resolutions and other frameworks, the Commission further emphasises.

Despite these allegations, the Pakistan government has focused on denial rather than reform the justice system, enact meaningful police reforms and uphold the rule of law, which are all crucial to protect minority rights.

Incidents of mob violence such as the Jaranwala attack, the ransacking of Joseph Colony and the Gojra riots show a troubling pattern: the government repeatedly dodges responsibility in the face of horrific crimes, thereby failing to hold perpetrators to account for faith based crimes and repeatedly avoiding meaningful reforms.

A growing phenomenon is that of law enforcement officers, operating under the label of ‘Blasphemy Business Gangs’, which fabricate blasphemy cases in order to extort money, releasing those who pay. Instead of serving as guardians of justice, such officers claim to act as enforcers of blasphemy laws while the failing justice system and corrupt governance continue to oppress those already pushed to the margins.

On 16 July 2025, the British MP Jim Shannon, Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Pakistani minorities, addressed an event in the British Parliament and met with members of Pakistan’s Christian diaspora in the UK.

He expressed deep concerns over the pandemic of forced conversions and marriages and ongoing human rights abuses of minority religious groups in Pakistan.

He assured the delegates that he would continue to raise his voice with Pakistani authorities for the restoration of religious freedom in keeping with the vision laid out by Muhammad Ali Jinnah. 

Christians, as one of the largest faith communities in Pakistan and who have made invaluable contributions to the nation particularly in the fields of education, judiciary, healthcare, and social development, feel especially let down by a political system which has excluded them from representation in the current federal cabinet.

The one Christian in the Pakistan government in recent history, Shahbaz Bhatti, was assassinated, principally, it seems, for speaking out too clearly on behalf of minorities.

The Federal cabinet, Shehbaz Sharif’s second government, comprises 60 members, including ministers, advisors, coordinators, and assistants to the Prime Minister, but has no Christian representation. This stark exclusion from the nation’s highest decision-making body raises serious concerns about minority inclusion and undermines the principles of equality in Pakistan.

Religious freedom is the heartbeat of a nation, a vital force which ensures peace and harmony in the organs of a society, and yet millions are denied this fundamental liberty in Pakistan, leaving both them and the state weakened and vulnerable. 

Like what you’ve read? Consider supporting the work of Adamah by making a donation and help us keep exploring life’s big (and not so big) issues!