Minority leaders, legal experts and civil society representatives called for stronger legal and institutional measures to protect vulnerable children and uphold the constitutional rights of religious minorities in Pakistan. The participants noted that the constitution guarantees freedom of religion (Article 20), equality before law (Article 25), safeguards against discrimination in public employment (Article 27), and protection of the legitimate rights and interests of religious minorities (Article 36).
Former federal minister Kamran Michael; Center for Social Justice (CSJ) Executive Director Peter Jacob; Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights (PCHR) Executive Director Shafique Chaudhry; and National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) Executive Director Naeem Yousaf Gill informed journalists during the briefing at the Hotel One in Lahore that realizing all these constitutional guarantees requires effective implementation of laws, responsive institutions and equal access to justice.
Discussing recent judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court in the Maria Shahbaz case, the participants reaffirmed their respect for the independence of the judiciary. They observed that the judgment has generated an important national discussion on child protection, consent of minors and adequacy of existing legal safeguards in cases involving religious conversion and marriage, providing an opportunity for legislators, policymakers and the civil society to review the existing legal framework.
The participants appreciated the recent initiatives undertaken by both the federal and Punjab governments to advance the rights and inclusion of religious minorities. They welcomed the approval of the National Interfaith Harmony Policy by the federal government as an important milestone towards promoting religious harmony and peaceful coexistence. They appreciated the Punjab government for constituting a special committee to review and reform Christian Personal Laws and for its efforts to restore and renovate abandoned places of worship belonging to minority communities.
The participants described these initiatives as important and welcome steps towards strengthening constitutional guarantees of equality, inclusion and religious freedom. However, they emphasized that the true measure of these initiatives lies in their effective implementation. While these policy and institutional developments were encouraging, they said that translating them into tangible improvements in the daily lives of the minorities remains an ongoing challenge. They said that persistent concerns, including hate speech, forced conversions, discrimination, misuse of laws and other forms of marginalization, continue to require sustained legal, policy and institutional action.
Speaking on the occasion, Kamran Michael observed that the parliament should continue reviewing laws affecting vulnerable children to ensure greater legal clarity and stronger protection while fully respecting constitutional guarantees and religious freedom. He urged that existing constitutional and legal barriers limiting the eligibility of the minorities for certain constitutional offices should be revisited to promote equal citizenship, strengthen democratic inclusion and enhance the confidence of minorities in the state institutions.
Peter Jacob said that allegations of forced conversions continue to generate serious concerns among the minorities, and stressed the need for transparent investigations, victim-centred protection mechanisms and continued legal reforms consistent with constitutional obligations and human rights commitments. Naeem Yousaf Gill shared concerns of the minorities regarding the social and psychological impact of such incidents on affected families. He underscored importance of improving access to justice, strengthening victim support mechanisms and reinforcing public confidence in institutions responsible for protecting vulnerable communities.
Sharing his views, Shafique Chaudhry called upon the government, the parliament, judiciary, human rights institutions, religious leaders and civil society organizations to engage in an inclusive consultative process to strengthen legal safeguards, counter hate speech, prevent coercion and exploitation, and ensure that every citizen, regardless of religion or belief, enjoys equal rights, dignity and protection under the constitution.
