Blasphemy Charges, Forced Conversions, Mob Attacks: Report Flags Persecution Of Pakistan’s Minorities

Last Updated:October 16, 2026, 1:49 PM IST

The report cites United Nations experts who found that around 75 per cent of victims of forced conversion through marriage in 2025 were Hindu

One of the report’s key concerns is the alleged misuse of blasphemy laws against minorities in Pakistan to settle personal scores and extort money. Image/News18

Religious minorities in Pakistan continue to face persecution, mob violence, forced conversions and discrimination despite legislative safeguards, with the misuse of blasphemy laws and inadequate accountability deepening their vulnerability, according to a new report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

Titled Sanctuary Denied: Freedom of Religion or Belief in 2025/26, the report documents violations between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, affecting Ahmadis, Christians, Hindus and other religious minority communities. It warns that the state’s response to religious diversity is becoming increasingly exclusionary, while hate speech and discriminatory practices continue to undermine equal citizenship.

One of the report’s key concerns is the alleged misuse of blasphemy laws to settle personal scores and extort money. Hundreds of people accused in what the HRCP describes as an alleged organised entrapment network remain caught in legal uncertainty, even as some have secured bail or been acquitted. The alleged perpetrators have yet to be investigated, the report says.

According to Punjab Prisons data cited in the report, 559 inmates were facing blasphemy-related charges as of June 28, 2026. Of these, 491 were undertrials, highlighting the prolonged incarceration faced by people awaiting the conclusion of their cases.

The report also highlights the continuing persecution of Ahmadis, including attacks on places of worship, violence against community members and attempts to exclude them from public and commercial life. It documents instances of shopkeepers refusing them entry and a courier company allegedly declining deliveries to an Ahmadi-majority area.

Christian and Hindu girls, particularly those from economically disadvantaged families, continue to face abduction, child marriage and alleged forced religious conversion. The report cites United Nations experts who found that around 75 per cent of victims of forced conversion through marriage in 2025 were Hindu and 25 per cent Christian, with approximately 80 per cent of reported incidents occurring in Sindh.

Discrimination also extends to employment and education. The HRCP notes that religious minorities remain disproportionately confined to sanitation work, often under hazardous conditions, while school curricula can marginalise minority beliefs and reinforce religious hierarchies.

A Christian medical practitioner’s dispensary in Sheikhupura was reportedly set ablaze following blasphemy allegations, illustrating the dangers surrounding such accusations.

The report acknowledges positive developments, including the National Commission for Minorities Act, 2025, and new child-marriage legislation in Punjab and Balochistan. However, it says the commission remains non-operational.

The HRCP has urged authorities to investigate blasphemy allegations fairly, prosecute those inciting mob violence and protect minority communities and their places of worship. It has also appealed to the public to allow courts to decide blasphemy cases rather than turning accused individuals into symbols of controversy.

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What findings does the HRCP report highlight regarding religious minorities in Pakistan for 2025-2026?

A report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan titled Sanctuary Denied documents ongoing persecution, mob violence, forced conversions, and discrimination faced by minorities like Ahmadis, Christians, and Hindus between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, driven by the misuse of blasphemy laws and inadequate state accountability.

How are blasphemy laws and undertrial cases affecting prisoners in Punjab, Pakistan?

Data from Punjab Prisons shows that 559 inmates were facing blasphemy-related charges as of June 28, 2026, with 491 of them being undertrials. The HRCP report notes that these laws are frequently misused to settle personal scores or extort money, leaving many trapped in prolonged legal uncertainty.

What are the primary findings regarding forced conversions and abductions among minority girls in Pakistan?

According to United Nations experts cited in the HRCP report, roughly 75 percent of victims of forced conversion through marriage in 2025 were Hindu and 25 percent Christian, with about 80 percent of those reported incidents taking place in Sindh. These victims are predominantly young girls from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who face abduction and child marriage.

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Manoj Gupta

Group Editor, Investigations and Security Affairs, Network18

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