Pakistan Witnesses Weaponisation Of Blasphemy Laws, Normalisation Of Hate Speech Against Minorities

(MENAFN- IANS) Islamabad, Oct 19 (IANS) Pakistan's recent steps towards protecting religious minorities are in stark contrast to continuous violations of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FORB), a new report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) titled 'Sanctuary Denied: Freedom of religion or belief in 2025/26' has highlighted.

Pakistan has been witnessing continuing weaponisation of the blasphemy laws; hate speech against minorities becoming increasingly normalised; girls from minority communities continuing to disappear and being forced into marriage; and, reduced job opportunities for minorities.

Citing the HRCP report, an editorial in leading Pakistani daily 'The News International', mentioned that the National Commission for Minorities Act 2025 has not been implemented yet. It also urged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to increase the age for marriage to 18.

"It is also notable how the violation of minority rights intersects with other problems that the state has not done enough to address, such as poverty, gender-based discrimination and violence and the exploitation and abuse of children," The News International stated.

The issue of the kidnapping and forced conversion of girls from religious minorities in Pakistan demonstrates shortcomings in the state's ability to protect minorities, women and children, while the issue of sanitation workers highlights how discriminatory hiring practices can cause poverty and people being forced to do dangerous jobs with little protection,

The newspaper highlighted how hate speech against minorities has become normalised in Pakistan, creating an environment for intimidation and violence, which implies that protecting minorities does not require only passing policies but also challenging the narratives and mindsets that continue to preach hatred and discrimination against minorities and taking action against those behind those acts. The report called for taking legal action against all incitements to violence, particularly on social media platforms and mandatory training for law enforcement in addressing crimes related to FORB.

Last week, a leading Pakistani human rights body strongly condemned mob violence, arson and threats against the Christian community in Narang Mandi in Punjab's Sheikhupura district, following a blasphemy allegation against a Christian man who has been arrested by the police.

According to a report in Pakistan Christian Post, Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) said that Kamran Gill Masih was accused of sharing allegedly blasphemous content on social media, after which his traditional medical clinic, attached to his residence and including a small pharmacy, was set on fire. Members of the local Christian community were also forced to flee their homes amid fears of further violence.

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