A minority rights organization has raised alarm over the increasing persecution faced by religious minorities in Pakistan, labeling it as a significant failure on both national and global fronts. The Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM) highlighted the consistent trend of targeted violence, discrimination, and a failing justice system, leading to a worsening situation each year. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom’s recent report reinforced the grim reality that faith in Pakistan can be a dangerous liability, with the country retaining its designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
The VOPM pointed out a troubling rise in forced conversions and marriages of Christian girls, some as young as teenagers, across Pakistan. These incidents, far from isolated, paint a distressing picture of abduction, coercion, and legal helplessness, leaving families devastated with their daughters forcibly converted and married off. The organization emphasized the prevalence of mob violence threats, where mere accusations, often unfounded, can spark deadly collective outrage within hours, creating an atmosphere of fear and lawlessness in communities.
Addressing the international community, the VOPM stressed the need for concrete action beyond symbolic gestures like CPC designations. It called for sustained diplomatic pressure, accountability measures, and real support for vulnerable groups to combat the injustices faced by minorities in Pakistan. The organization warned that without meaningful intervention and enforcement of protections, the cycle of tragedies and broken families will persist, urging for global conscience and action to prevent further atrocities.
Pakistan, Voice of Pakistan Minority, US Commission on International Religious Freedom, Christian, CPC, Mob Violence
