Pakistan Minority Children Face Systemic Discrimination: NCRC Report

A damning report by Pakistan's National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC) has uncovered systemic discrimination against the country's religious minority children, specifically Christians and Hindus. Titled 'Situation Analysis of Children from Minority Religions in Pakistan,' the report exposes deep-seated bias, institutional neglect, and targeted abuse.

The findings are alarming: underage girls from minority communities are being abducted, forcibly converted, and married to older Muslim men. From April 2023 to December 2024, the NCRC received 27 official complaints involving murders, abductions, and forced conversions, yet these figures are thought to be just the tip of the iceberg.

Most disturbing is the plight of minority children in Punjab, where 40% of reported violence occurs. The educational system perpetuates this cycle of discrimination, with the report criticizing the Single National Curriculum for neglecting religious inclusion. Minority students face social exclusion within schools, further alienating them from educational and societal opportunities.

(With inputs from agencies.)