By Dr. Emanuel Adil Ghouri
In developed countries around the world, including Europe and the United States, human rights are given special importance, and their violation is considered a serious problem. In many countries in Africa and Asia, however, human rights violations are part of everyday life. The United Nations has consistently made positive efforts to improve the global human rights situation. The fact that Human Rights Day is celebrated on December 10 every year is evidence of this commitment.
Through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) of 1948, the United Nations promotes and protects these rights through the Human Rights Council, treaties, monitoring mechanisms, and various institutions. These bodies work toward universal standards of dignity, equality, and justice despite ongoing global challenges such as conflict and dictatorship.
Pakistan is part of the United Nations system and is actively involved in UN human rights bodies. In October 2025, Pakistan was elected to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) for the 2026–28 term, marking its sixth term on the Council since 2006. This election demonstrates the country’s stated commitment to promoting human rights in global forums, but this commitment is not reflected in practice within Pakistan.
The Constitution of Pakistan contains provisions guaranteeing fundamental rights to all citizens, including minorities. Article 36 specifically protects the rights of minorities, and Article 22 protects them from discrimination in educational institutions. However, implementation of these constitutional protections remains inadequate.
Human rights violations against minorities in Pakistan include systemic discrimination, forced conversions, misuse of blasphemy laws, torture and extrajudicial killings, and social marginalization. These issues affect religious minorities such as Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians. Despite constitutional guarantees of equality, minorities continue to face discriminatory laws, economic barriers, underrepresentation, sectarian attacks, and biased educational materials that promote religious intolerance.
According to data compiled by the National Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, as of July 25, 2024, 767 people were imprisoned across Pakistan on blasphemy charges. This compares to 213 suspects imprisoned on blasphemy charges in 2023, 621 in 2020, and 99 in 2019.
The same study reports that at least 104 people were extrajudicially killed after being accused of blasphemy between 1994 and 2024. Of these victims, 26 percent were Christians; one was Hindu and one Buddhist, while the religion of two individuals could not be determined.
According to the Center for Social Justice (CSJ), a research organization studying forced religious conversions of minority girls in Pakistan, more than 46 percent of the victims (girls and women) belonged to the Hindu community, while 44 percent were Christians. More than 46 percent of the victims were minors, and approximately 33 percent were between 11 and 15 years old.
In addition, minorities face issues such as religious discrimination, restrictions on religious freedom, and political and social inequality—concerns repeatedly raised by international human rights organizations, the European Union, and the United Nations.
According to the UN Declaration, various institutions and international human rights organizations consistently report that these safeguards are often not effectively implemented in practice, and significant challenges and violations persist. UN experts and the Secretary-General have repeatedly condemned attacks on religious and ethnic minorities in Pakistan and have called for immediate action against the perpetrators. UN Special Rapporteurs have urged an end to widespread violence and discrimination.
On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, we call on the Government of Pakistan to grant minorities their rights in accordance with the vision of the founder of Pakistan—not merely in speeches, but in practice.
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