London, 2 July 2025 — An important session was held at the UK Parliament (Committee Room 7), organized by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief (APPG FoRB), focusing on the ongoing religious persecution of minorities across Pakistan.
The session made it clear that these atrocities are not isolated acts by extremist groups but are systematic, state-sponsored, and carried out under the direct patronage of the Pakistani government and the Pakistani Army (Pak Army).
🔴 Key points highlighted during the session:
- Abduction and Forced Religious Conversion of Minority Girls
Every year, especially in Sindh, around 500 to 1,000 Hindu and Christian minor girls are abducted and forcibly converted to Islam under state protection. These conversions are often linked to politically backed religious shrines and individuals protected by the military and political establishments.
- Organized Attacks on Religious Places
Temples and dharamshalas in Sindh have been attacked and set on fire in coordinated assaults. Such attacks are part of a deliberate campaign carried out by extremist groups that enjoy the protection and backing of state and military authorities.
- Sectarian Violence and Targeting of Minorities
Shia Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and Ahmadis face systematic violence and intimidation. The environment created by state institutions enables these attacks, with law enforcement agencies either complicit or turning a blind eye to these atrocities.
- Mass Exodus of Minorities from Sindh
Sindh, home to a large Hindu population, sees thousands of minority families forced to flee every year due to fear, insecurity, and religious extremism. Recent attacks, including a rocket attack on a Hindu temple in Kashmore in 2023, have further escalated safety concerns in Jacobabad and Shikarpur.
🗣 Prominent attendees of the session:
• Jim Shannon, Member of the UK Parliament
• Julie Jones, Director, APPG on International Law and Freedom of Religion or Belief
• Kiran, Representative from Shhrine Organization
• Sohail Abro, Chairman, Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (JSFM),
. Morris Johns, Christian Community
. Fareed Ahmed, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
. In attendance:
. Fleur Anderson MP
. Representative of special envoy
David Smith MP
who presented detailed evidence and statistics exposing the persecution in Sindh
• Representatives of JKGBL (Jammu & Kashmir Global British League):
• Ayub Iqbal
• Shoaib Ahmed
• Hasam Rafique
• Hamza Aurangzeb
📣 Key recommendations raised during the session:
1. International condemnation of the religious persecution carried out under the patronage of the Pakistani state and military.
2. Independent international investigations into forced religious conversions, child abductions, and attacks on places of worship.
3. Targeted sanctions on Pakistani military and political actors responsible for these abuses under the UK’s Magnitsky framework.
4. Inclusion of Pakistan’s religious persecution in the UN Human Rights Council agenda and the UK’s annual Freedom of Religion or Belief report.
This session sent a powerful global message that religious persecution in Pakistan can no longer be ignored or concealed. The international community must act swiftly to stop these ongoing human rights violations.