Islamabad, July 15 (IANS) A leading minority rights organisation expressed grave concern over the misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, alleging that accusations are increasingly being weaponised to settle scores, seize property, and target minorities in the country. According to the Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), a dangerous pattern resurfaced in Karachi on July 9 after a desecrated page of the Quran was allegedly mailed to a shop along with photographs of a Christian man, Azeem Javaid, and …
Latest Voice of Pakistan Minority News & Updates
New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) India on Wednesday strongly condemned the “highly deplorable” and “targeted act of vandalism” against a revered Sikh shrine in Pakistan while once again highlighting the systemic targeting of religious minorities and their places of worship across the border which continues unabated. Responding to media queries, the spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Randhir Jaiswal stated that India has taken note of the “deeply distressing” reports regarding the demolit…
Islamabad, June 26 (IANS) Members of a growing organised blasphemy business network in Pakistan are actively attempting to trap people into committing blasphemy on social media. Some Pakistani officials, including members of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), conduct work on behalf of the blasphemy network, a report said. “The main purpose here is to extort bribes from the target in exchange for dropping criminal charges. In the custody of such people, the treatment is appalling. At …
Islamabad, June 24 (IANS) The brutal murder of elderly Sikh couple Jagan Nath and Ashawanti, who served as caretakers of a gurdwara in Mardan, a city in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has once again underscored the persistent concerns over the safety and security of minorities in the country, according to a latest report. The most troubling aspect of the case is the allegation that the arrested suspect, Sher Shah, said he committed the murders to “earn paradise”. If verified, the crime represent…
Islamabad, June 20 (IANS) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) strongly condemned the killing of a Sikh couple who were reportedly serving as caretakers of a gurdwara in Mardan city of the country’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, saying that the incident has intensified concerns over the safety and security of religious minorities and their places of worship.The remarks came after unidentified assailants reportedly opened fire inside the gurdwara in the Babu Mohalla Khawaja Ganj Bazaar…
Islamabad, June 5 (IANS) The United Nations (UN) has repeatedly expressed concern over the persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan. However, meaningful change in Pakistan remains elusive despite years of warnings, recommendations, and expressions of concern. The international organisations must move beyond cautious rhetoric as turning a blind eye to the suffering of religious minorities in Pakistan does not serve justice or the values that the international community claims to hold, a re…
Hong Kong, May 28 (IANS) A UK-based Christian organisation and rights group has voiced concerns over the restrictions faced by Ahmadis on celebrating Eid al-Adha in Pakistan. Cecil Shane Chaudhry, South Asia Deputy Team Leader at the UK-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), condemned the restrictions imposed on Ahmadi community, terming it “unfortunate” that every year the Ahmadi community face such restrictions from non-state actors and state institutions, a report in Union of Catholic As…
Islamabad, May 26 (IANS) Government in Pakistan’s Punjab province has deferred its plan to restore original historical names of roads and streets in Lahore apparently after facing a massive backlash from “extremist elements”, local media reported on Tuesday. In March, the Lahore Heritage Areas Revival (LHAR) presided over by province Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif had decided to restore original historical names of roads and streets in…
Islamabad, May 15 (IANS) A leading minority rights organisation in Pakistan has raised grave concerns over the persistence of child marriage across the country’s Punjab province, warning that discriminatory laws and entrenched social norms continue to deny countless girls their childhood, education, and basic rights. Citing Pakistan’s Bureau of Statistics, the Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM) said on Friday that 15 per cent of children in Punjab province are married before turning 18, describin…
Islamabad, May 5 (IANS) A leading minority rights organisation on Tuesday warned that escalating persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan is no longer a “quiet crisis” but a glaring indictment of both national failure and global indifference.According to the Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), year after year, reports reflect the same grim pattern: “targeted violence, systemic discrimination, and a justice system that too often turns away from those most in need of protection”, with the …