Latest Updates
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
Pakistan’s Blasphemy Laws: A System Undermined by Fear, Misuse, and Institutional Failure
Pakistan’s blasphemy laws have become one of the country’s most controversial issues, not only because of their impact on religious minorities but also because of the repeated failure of institutions to prevent their misuse. A law that should operate within the boundaries of justice and fairness has, in many cases, become
Pakistan Cashes In On EU Trade Perks, While Its Religious Minorities Pay the Price
Pakistan is cashing in on the EU’s GSP+ trade concessions while it fails to honour the core human rights and governance obligations that justify those benefits. Atrocities, discrimination and violence continue at home, yet Pakistan still presents itself as a compliant partner on paper. Since 2014, Pakistan has relied on the
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
Justice Denied in Flames: Pakistan’s Failure to Protect Its Christian Minorities
Twelve years after one of Pakistan’s most brutal cases of mob violence, justice has not just been delayed—it has collapsed. The Supreme Court’s acquittal of the last three men convicted in the 2014 lynching of the Christian couple, Shahzad Masih and his pregnant wife, Shama Bibi, has reignited grief and raised
From Worship to Ashes: Pattoki Christian Family Loses Home in Alleged Revenge Arson
In Pattoki, Punjab, a Christian family has been reduced to homelessness in a deliberate arson attack that raises urgent questions about justice, protection, and equality in Pakistan. On 5 July 2026, Arshad Masih (34), his wife Kafia Bibi (33), and their two young sons, Haniyal (8) and Abraham (5), were attending
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Special Cases
“We Live Here Too”: KP’s Transgender Community Faces a Spreading Campaign of Exclusion
On a warm night in Swabi, music drifted across a market rooftop until the sound collided with a threat that’s become all too familiar: leave. For the transgender community in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the latest push by local elders to expel them from the district is not a one-off flare of
EU Parliament Spotlight: Victims Break Silence on Pakistan’s Forced Conversions and Child Marriages
The European Parliament recently held an important event to highlight a painful and often ignored issue: the abduction, forced conversion, and child marriage of minority girls in Pakistan. What should have been a routine policy meeting turned into an emotional call for justice. Victims’ families shared their stories, and for the
When the Classroom Demands Conversion: Mirpur Sakro’s Daughters Speak Out
Every morning in Mirpur Sakro, in Sindh’s Thatta district, a group of young Hindu girls once walked to school with simple dreams. They wanted what any ninth grader wants: to pass their exams, make their parents proud, maybe become teachers, doctors, or officers one day. Their school — Government Girls’ High
Faisalabad’s Children Are Dying in Silence — 663 Cases, Zero Convictions
Faisalabad is facing a deeply disturbing reality — hundreds of children have been sexually abused. Cases have been registered, suspects identified, yet justice remains painfully out of reach. Official statistics from 2025 reveal a shocking picture: 663 cases of sexual abuse against minors were registered across 45 police stations in Faisalabad
Pakistan Police Torture Christian Father to Death in Custody
Imagine the shattering ring of your husband’s phone—his voice silenced, replaced by a stranger’s cold demand. That’s how Nazia Masih’s world crumbled on March 26 in Lahore’s Sadhoki Kahna Nau neighborhood. Her husband, Iftikhar Masih, a devoted Catholic father of four and a humble gardener at the University of Lahore, was
When the State Decides Your Faith: The Persecution of Ahmadis in Pakistan
In Pakistan, the situation of the Ahmadiyya community is often described by human rights observers as one of the most restrictive religious frameworks in the modern world. At the centre of it lies something unusual and deeply consequential: laws that not only regulate behaviour, but also decide who is legally recognised
Faith, Fear, and Falsehood: The Unjust Arrest of Maan Masih in Lahore
In the heart of Lahore, a shocking incident unfolded that highlights the dangerous intersection of religious intolerance and injustice. A Christian boy, Maan Masih, found himself caught in a web of false accusations simply because of his faith. His life, filled with nothing but hope and dreams, turned into a nightmare
A Life Silenced: The Death of Naveed Masih and the Cry for Justice
Late on a quiet Friday night in Lahore, tragedy struck within the walls of the Punjab Assembly’s MPA Hostel. Naveed Masih, a Christian sanitary worker known for his dedication and kindness, was found dead, fatally shot inside a legislator’s room. His untimely death rippled across Pakistan, igniting grief, outrage, and an
Faith in the Shadows: The Quiet Burden of Being Christian in Pakistan
In many parts of Pakistan, faith is something Christians carry quietly—sometimes in prayer, sometimes in fear. They are a small community in a country of nearly 250 million people. According to recent findings from the World Watch List 2026country dossier, about 4.7 million Christians live in Pakistan, making up less than