Pakistan has been included in the ‘Board of Peace’ established by US President Donald Trump to address peace solutions in the Gaza Strip. However, concerns have arisen due to Pakistan’s history of religious persecution and alleged support for terrorism within its borders. The Gatestone Institute report highlights a series of incidents in Pakistan revealing its poor treatment of religious minorities, labeling it as one of the most dangerous countries for non-Muslims.
Last year witnessed a deepening crisis for religious minorities in Pakistan, marked by increasing mob violence and a sense of impunity for the perpetrators. Christians, Hindus, and other non-Muslim minorities faced physical attacks, forced displacement, and exclusion. The Christian community, in particular, was vulnerable to blasphemy accusations leading to collective punishment, including church burnings and property destruction.
Forced religious conversions, abductions of Hindu girls, and coerced marriages are prevalent in Pakistan, with limited legal recourse for affected families. The report also mentions the case of a 21-year-old Christian farmworker, Marcus Masih, who was allegedly tortured to death by his Muslim employers, later labeled as a suicide. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has urged the US government to reconsider Pakistan’s status due to ongoing religious freedom violations.
