Freedom of Religion

On National Minorities Day, Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) held an event in Faisalabad, focusing on Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s 1947 speech advocating for religious freedom. Attendees, including political workers and human rights advocates, discussed Jinnah’s ideology and the ongoing targeting of minorities in Pakistan, accentuated by alarming incidents of violence against religious groups. Naveed Walter, president of HRFP, criticized the lack of action from political parties regarding minority rights and called for increased government protection for these communities. The speakers emphasized the need to promote Jinnah’s message actively, incorporate it into the constitution, and address the challenges faced by religious minorities to ensure their fundamental rights and security.

On 22 March, a side event at the Human Rights Council in Geneva focused on the situation of minorities in South Asia, organized by NEP-JKGBL. The panel included experts such as Prof. Nicolas Levrat and Mr. Konstantin Bogdanos, who criticized the Pakistani government’s policies toward minorities, especially in Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Bogdanos emphasized the need for European citizens to engage with these issues, while Prof. Levrat highlighted the challenges of his mandate due to the diversity of minority groups. Tsenge Tsering spoke about the poverty and lack of rights faced by the people in Gilgit-Baltistan, and Mr. Hawksley advocated for peaceful resistance and local development to prevent disaster. A member of the democratic forum condemned the genocide of minorities in Pakistan, stressing the need for international attention to these issues.