Islamabad’s Christian minority continues to endure systematic discrimination, mob violence, forced conversions, bonded labor, and sexual abuse, with minimal state protection amid government inaction. The latest World Watch List 2026 from global watchdog Open Doors places Pakistan at number 8 among the 50 most dangerous countries for Christians, highlighting a persistent crisis that shows no signs of abating.
The report was unveiled on January 27, 2026, during a high-level event at the European Parliament in Brussels, hosted by MEP Miriam Lexmann (EPP) and MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen (ECR), with co-hosting by MEP Matej Tonin (EPP). In a poignant Q&A session, Pakistani minority rights activist Joseph Johnson exposed the glaring gaps between laws and their enforcement.
Despite the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act passed in May 2025 setting the minimum marriage age at 18, abductions of minority girls followed by forced conversions to Islam and marriages to captors persist unabated. Courts often sideline civil law in favor of Sharia, Johnson charged, undermining legal safeguards.
Blasphemy laws remain a weapon of choice for targeting Christians with false accusations, triggering mob violence, church burnings, and prolonged imprisonment without justice. Johnson recalled the 2023 Jaranwala riots, where at least 26 churches were torched, yet no perpetrators have faced punishment years later.
Government reluctance to crack down on extremist groups like Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) exacerbates the peril. Religious prisoners languish in jails, victims await redress, and a culture of impunity thrives. As Pakistan clings to its top-10 spot on the persecution index, the international community watches with growing alarm, urging Islamabad to act decisively before the situation spirals further.