Islamabad, July 22, 2025 – A Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on “Mapping the Minority Rights Landscape: Economic, Social, Cultural, Civil, and Political Rights” was held today at Hotel Best Western, Islamabad. The event was organized by the Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights (PCHR) as part of the European Union-funded project “Together for Tolerance: Strengthening Minority Rights and Inclusion.” The project is being implemented in Punjab and Sindh, by PCHR in partnership with the Center for Social Justice (CSJ).
The Focus Group Discussion commenced with welcome remarks by Mr. Shafique Chaudhry, Executive Director of PCHR, followed by an overview of the government initiative by Mr. Abdul Khalique Shaikh, Secretary Ministry of Human Rights. He explained in detail the steps that the Ministry of human rights has taken to ensure strict compliance with the Supreme Court’s landmark 2014 judgment on protecting the rights of religious minorities in the country.
Dr Sebastien Lorion, Acting Head of Cooperation, European Union Mission to Pakistan in his opening remarks reaffirmed that the EU values its strong partnership with civil society in Pakistan. He emphasized that the protection of human rights—particularly the rights of religious minorities—remains high on the EU’s agenda, and that Pakistan’s progress under the GSP+ framework is closely linked to its commitment to these core values.
PCHR leading experts Dr. Shafqat Munir Ahmad and Professor Dr. Sofia Anwar provided critical insights into the ongoing studies aimed at evaluating Pakistan’s compliance with international human rights frameworks, including ICCPR and ESCR obligations under the GSP+ regime.
Key stakeholders, including parliamentarians, researchers, legal experts, civil society representatives, and members of minority communities, actively participated in the discussion. Representatives from government departments such as the ministry of huma rights, and police, shared updates on initiatives to protect minorities and promote their economic, social, and cultural rights. Their contributions highlighted significant efforts of the Government to address the challenges faced by religious minorities and ensure their inclusion in Pakistan’s social and legal frameworks.
The moderated discussions shed light on systemic patterns of discrimination ingrained in Pakistan’s institutions by successive governments. Participants pointed out constitutional inconsistencies that have translated into discriminatory laws, endangering the lives and rights of religious minorities. Discussions also emphasized the lack of political representation of religious minorities in policy making bodies and their near absence in higher judiciary. These gaps further perpetuate systemic exclusion and hinder efforts toward inclusive governance and justice.
The discussions emphasized the need for comprehensive legal reforms, effective implementation of protective measures, and enhanced representation of minorities in decision-making processes to address these systemic issues.
The Focus Group Discussion concluded with a series of suggestions and recommendations for ongoing research studies. Mr. Shafique Chaudhary, Executive Director, PCHR, in his concluding remarks, extended his felicitation to the participants for their input and hoped that their recommendations/input will guide the experts in building a robust case and accurately reflecting the current state of civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of religious minorities in Pakistan.
