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Three Years After Jaranwala, Justice Is Still Missing
Three years have passed since the Jaranwala tragedy, but Pakistan’s Christian community still carries its pain. The fires that destroyed homes and churches on 16 August 2023 may have been extinguished, yet the fear, trauma, and insecurity remain alive in the hearts of survivors. On 16 August this year, Christians, church
The White Stripe That Fades: Pakistan’s Minorities at 79
Pakistan marks 79 years of independence this August 14, 2026. The national flag flies high—green for the Muslim majority, and a white vertical stripe at the hoist for religious minorities. That white band stands for peace, honesty, and the promise of equal citizenship. Yet for millions of Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Ahmadis,
132 Women, Six Months, One National Shame: Pakistan’s Honor Killing Crisis in 2026
In the first six months of 2026, Pakistan recorded 132 honor killings. One hundred and thirty-two women were murdered by their own families—fathers, brothers, husbands—for the crime of choosing love, speaking out, or simply existing on their own terms. These are not statistics. They are daughters, sisters, mothers whose screams were
Minority Day in Pakistan: A Day of Promises, A Reality of Persecution
Every year on 11 August, Pakistan celebrates Minority Day. Government leaders deliver speeches about equality, religious freedom, and harmony. They remind the world of Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s promise that all citizens would enjoy equal rights regardless of their religion. But for many religious minorities in Pakistan, Minority Day is not a
“Chura” Slur, Sewage Humiliation: Christian Worker Noman Masih Seeks Justice in Pasrur
PASRUR, PUNJAB, PAKISTAN — A reported incident involving Christian worker Noman Masih in Pasrur has raised serious concerns about the safety and dignity of religious minorities in Pakistan. According to Masih’s account, the incident took place while he was doing his work. He says that a group of men verbally abused
Pakistan’s Children Remain at Risk as 1,914 Abuse Cases Reported in Six Months
Nearly 1,914 cases of child abuse were reported across Pakistan between January and June 2026, according to Sahil’s latest Six Months Cruel Numbers report. Although the figure is slightly lower than the 1,956 cases recorded during the same period last year, it remains a disturbing measure of the dangers faced by
Christian Community Mourns Shazib Masih’s Killing in Islamabad, Pakistan
Pakistan’s Christian community is mourning the death of Shazib Masih, a young Christian who was reportedly shot and killed by an unidentified assailant in Islamabad. The circumstances surrounding the killing remain unclear. Authorities have yet to identify the attacker or determine the motive behind the shooting, raising serious concerns about the
Stolen Girls: The Hidden Machinery of Forced Conversion and Child Marriage in Pakistan
They are called “conversions” in official records. But behind the paperwork, signatures, and stamped certificates are children—girls barely in their teens—whose lives are being quietly erased. A recent report titled Stolen Girls, presented at the European Parliament by the Jubilee Campaign, lays bare a reality that is as disturbing as it
Justice in Question: Minor Returned to Alleged Abductor in Faisalabad Case
Authorities and courts in Faisalabad have sparked widespread outrage after a Sessions Court granted custody of 13-year-old Christian girl Amber Nadeem to the man accused of abducting her. The decision has alarmed human rights defenders and exposed serious weaknesses in Pakistan’s child protection framework and judicial conduct. On 12 June 2026,
Honor Without Justice: The Enduring Tragedy of Honor Killings in Pakistan
The continued use of “honor” as a justification for killing women in Pakistan reflects a disturbing contradiction between law and reality. While legal reforms have attempted to curb such crimes, the persistence of these killings reveals a deeper crisis—one rooted in social norms, power structures, and weak enforcement of justice. According
Pakistan’s Hidden Crisis: Over 3,000 Gender-Based Violence Cases in Just Six Months
Pakistan is not just facing a rise in gender-based violence—it is witnessing a quiet emergency unfolding behind closed doors. In the first six months of 2026 alone, at least 3,172 cases were reported. That number is difficult to absorb, but what it represents is even harder: thousands of individuals harmed, silenced,
Child Protection on Trial: Will Pakistan’s Top Court Legitimize a Child’s Abuse or Restore Maria Shahbaz’s Right to Safety?
Pakistan stands at a moral crossroads as the Federal Constitutional Court prepares to hear the review petition in the case of 13‑year‑old Maria Shahbaz on July 24. At its heart, this is not only a legal battle over custody — it is a test of whether the country’s highest court will
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25 Million Children Out of School: Pakistan Faces an Education Emergency
According to UNICEF, Pakistan is facing an education crisis of unprecedented scale. An estimated 25.1 million children aged 5–16 are out of school, making the country the second-worst in the world for children missing out on education. These numbers are more than statistics—they are millions of lost dreams, opportunities, and futures.
How Many More Children Must Suffer? Pakistan’s Repeated Failure to Protect Its Most Vulnerable
Another week, another series of horrifying headlines. Children tortured, raped, and killed — many inside institutions meant to protect them. The recent spate of abuse cases in Punjab is not an anomaly. It is a reflection of a system that continues to fail its children, again and again. On June 28,
Religious Harassment of Christian Student in Gujranwala: A Wake-Up Call for Pakistan’s Schools
A deeply troubling and heartbreaking incident has come to light at the Government Elementary School in Kalar Abadi, Gujranwala, where a young Christian girl, Maryam Hidayat, has been subjected to ongoing religious harassment by her fellow students. The fourth-grader, only a child, is reportedly facing intense pressure to convert to Islam.
“Bring Maria Home”: A Father’s Fight Against Forced Conversion and Child Marriage
On a humid July afternoon in Lahore’s Sattukatla neighborhood, 13-year-old Maria Shahbaz stepped out to buy something from the corner shop and never returned. Two days later, her father, Shahbaz Masih — a driver and the sole provider for his family of five children — learned the unthinkable: a local man,
105,000 Cases, Thousands Untraced: The Hidden Crisis Facing Women in Punjab
A deeply troubling picture has emerged from Punjab, where newly submitted data to the Lahore High Court reveals the scale of women-related cases between 2021 and 2025. During this period, 105,571 cases were registered—an average of more than 21,000 each year, nearly 1,750 every month, and around 60 cases every single
Targeted Killings of Christian Minorities in Balochistan Spark Renewed Calls for Protection and Justice
The killings of two young Christian men in Balochistan are not just another tragic headline—they are a stark reminder of how fragile life remains for religious minorities in Pakistan. Ayush Masih, 21, and Domnik Masih, 24, were shot dead by gunmen on motorcycles in Mastung. The attack happened in the Shamsabad
Endless Persecution: The Ahmadi Community’s Struggle for Faith in Pakistan
Between April and June 2025, the Ahmadi community in Pakistan endured a relentless tide of violence, humiliation, and state-sanctioned discrimination that exposed the harrowing reality of their existence. According to a report by the International Human Rights Desk, a UK-based organization, the past months have been marked by targeted killings, widespread
A Life Silenced: The Story of Sumaira and the Dark Shadow of “Honour” in Sindh
Shikarpur woke up to another tragedy on Wednesday — one that tore through the walls of a family home and echoed across a society already burdened by countless similar stories. Fifteen-year-old Sumaira, a girl whose only “sin” was talking to someone on the phone, was shot dead — allegedly by her
Digital Accusations and Impunity: The Evolution of Pakistan’s Blasphemy Regime, 2023–2026
Pakistan’s blasphemy landscape has entered a more dangerous and complex phase. Despite periodic promises of reform, the data from 2023 to 2026 shows a clear deterioration: more cases, more mob violence, and a troubling shift toward digitally driven accusations that are harder to verify and easier to weaponize. The numbers alone