A recent report by Pakistan’s National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC) has exposed deep-rooted and systemic discrimination against children from minority religions, particularly Christians and Hindus.
Titled “Situation Analysis of Children from Minority Religions in Pakistan,” the government-backed report outlines a grim pattern of forced conversions, child marriages, bonded labour, and institutional neglect.
According to Christian Daily International, which reviewed the report, these are not isolated incidents but part of a disturbing nationwide trend. One of the most alarming findings is the continued abduction of underage girls from minority communities, who are forcibly converted to Islam and married to older Muslim men.
The report stresses that victims have “few legal options” due to systemic bias, police inaction, and societal pressure.
From April 2023 to December 2024, the NCRC officially recorded 27 cases involving murder, abduction, forced conversion, and underage marriage of minority children—numbers believed to be only a fraction of the actual cases, as many families remain silent out of fear of retaliation.
The situation is especially dire in Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, where 40 per cent of the reported cases of violence against minority children occurred between January 2022 and September 2024.
Police data cited in the report lists 547 Christians, 32 Hindus, two Ahmadis, and two Sikhs as victims, along with 99 others.
The report also criticises the education system, particularly the Single National Curriculum, for excluding religious representation. Minority students are required to study Islamic content that contradicts their beliefs, affecting their academic performance and sense of belonging.
Social discrimination in schools—mockery by peers, isolation, and pressure to convert—further alienates minority children. Many, the report notes, avoid sitting at the front of classrooms or using shared facilities for fear of humiliation.
Additionally, the report highlights widespread bonded labour among Christian and Hindu children, particularly in brick kilns and agricultural sectors. Trapped by poverty and generational discrimination, these children are offered little legal protection.
The NCRC calls for urgent reforms—laws against forced conversion and child marriage, inclusive educational policies, and enforcement of child labour laws.
However, progress remains limited. NCRC Chairperson Ayesha Raza Farooq cited “fragmented efforts, lack of coordination, and limited political will” as major obstacles.
Pirbhu Lal Satyani, the Commission’s representative for minority rights in Sindh, described minority children as “the most marginalised,” facing stigma, stereotyping, and exclusion at every level.
The report marks a rare instance of Pakistan’s own institutions confronting the mistreatment of religious minorities—particularly children. While the NCRC’s findings are damning, they also serve as a call to action for the Pakistani government and the international community alike.
With the facts now officially documented, observers say the state can no longer claim ignorance.
The pressing question remains: will Pakistan act to protect its most vulnerable, or continue to look the other way?
