UN Experts Urge Pakistan to End Persecution of Religious Minorities, Especially Ahmadis

A group of United Nations human rights experts has issued a powerful and urgent appeal to the Government of Pakistan, demanding immediate and effective action to halt ongoing human rights violations targeting religious minorities—particularly the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. In a statement released today, the experts denounced what they described as a “pattern of impunity and systemic discrimination,” underscoring the gravity of abuses ranging from extrajudicial killings and arbitrary arrests to the desecration of places of worship and cemeteries.

Escalating Violence Against the Ahmadiyya Community

The UN experts expressed deep concern over the alarming surge in targeted violence, harassment, and institutional discrimination faced by Ahmadis in Pakistan. Despite constitutional guarantees, the community has long been marginalized under national laws that criminalize aspects of their religious identity and practices.

“In the past year alone,” the experts said, “the Ahmadiyya community has endured a disturbing array of human rights violations—including killings, custodial deaths, destruction of religious property, and arbitrary detentions.”

Documented incidents include:

• The demolition of a century-old mosque in Daska,

• The closure of a mosque in Malir, Karachi, and the sealing of several others in cities such as Lahore and Karachi,

• The destruction of religious minarets in Bahawalnagar,

• The desecration of over 80 Ahmadi graves in Kotli, Azad Kashmir,

• Violent attacks during Eid celebrations in Azizabad, Karachi, during which places of worship were vandalized,

• Mass arrests, including of minors and persons with disabilities, in Sargodha, Daska, and Pasrur.

These violations, the experts warned, are compounded by an environment of hate speech, incitement to violence, and political inaction.

Impunity and State Complicity

According to the experts, many of these attacks are carried out with tacit official complicity, and perpetrators often escape justice altogether. They acknowledged that while some arrests and court proceedings have taken place, they have largely failed to deliver justice, with many sentences failing to reflect the severity of the crimes committed.

“Pakistan must break the pattern of impunity that has allowed perpetrators of attacks and incitement to hatred and violence to act without restraint,” the statement declared. “The cycle of fear and silence prevents both state institutions and civil society from protecting the rights and dignity of these minorities.”

Targeting of Women and Gender-Based Abuses

The experts also highlighted the gendered dimension of these violations, particularly concerning women imprisoned under Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws. These women are subjected to significant abuses while in detention, including lack of medical care, verbal and physical abuse, and poor living conditions. “Women in custody face compounded vulnerabilities due to their gender and religious identity,” the statement noted.

Legislative Failure and International Obligations

While the Pakistan National Assembly passed a resolution in June 2024 urging Federal and Provincial Governments to uphold the safety and security of all citizens, the experts noted that human rights abuses have persisted and even increased since the resolution's adoption. They called on the Pakistani government not only to enforce protections but also to repeal its blasphemy laws, which have been widely criticized for enabling vigilante violence and institutional persecution.

The experts emphasized that Pakistan, as a party to international treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), is obligated to guarantee the rights of all its citizens regardless of their faith.

“We stand ready and willing to support the Pakistani Government in effective implementation of its obligations under international law,” the experts stated, calling for urgent reforms and international cooperation.

A Call to Action for Accountability and Protection

The statement concluded with a call for independent investigations, prosecution of all perpetrators, and meaningful reforms that protect the religious freedom and safety of all communities in Pakistan. The UN experts also urged the international community to monitor the situation closely and engage constructively with Pakistan to address these long-standing violations.

The latest warning from UN human rights officials underscores growing global concern about the safety of religious minorities in Pakistan, as well as the urgent need for domestic legal reform, state accountability, and the restoration of human dignity for persecuted communities.