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4 clusters · 9 sources · 10 days · First seen · Last updated

Violence and persecution of Christians in Pakistan

Overview

Reports indicate increasing violence and legal challenges facing the Christian minority in Pakistan. Initial reports highlighted targeted physical and sexual abuse in Sheikhupura and Lahore, where victims alleged they were threatened to renounce their faith. In these instances, families and advocacy groups raised concerns regarding police delays in registering official reports. Subsequent reports expanded on these tensions, noting a controversial court ruling in Faisalabad where a judge granted custody of 13-year-old girl Amber Nadeem to a man, Mohsin Liaqat, accused of abduction and forced conversion. While defense documents claimed the girl was 18, her family disputes these records. Additionally, reports of communal violence in Punjab, such as an assault on Christian residents in Chak Lakhia, and allegations of police misconduct involving the death of 18-year-old Daud in Lodhran have intensified calls for justice. Recent developments in the Amber Nadeem case have intensified protests from human rights activists and organizations like ‘Voice of Justice’ and ‘Minorities Alliance Pakistan’. Following a July 25 hearing, a higher court accepted a written statement from Amber claiming her conversion and marriage were voluntary. Consequently, Judge Rana Sohail granted Liaqat bail and allowed Amber to remain with him. Activists have questioned the validity of this statement, alleging that the girl may have been pressured or warned of consequences by defense counsel to retract her claims. Further analysis has highlighted widespread gender- and religion-based persecution of minority women and girls. Documentation presented to the European Parliament via the ‘Stolen Girls’ report cited 210 cases of abduction, forced conversion, child marriage, and sexual violence against Christian and other minority girls between 2019 and 2025, noting victims had an average age of 12.8 years.

Entities

Mohsin Liaqat · Amber Nadeem · Pakistan · Faisalabad · European Union

Timeline

  1. 6 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    Pakistan minority women and girls face widespread persecution

    Reports document widespread persecution of minority women and girls in Pakistan, including forced conversions and abductions, prompting calls for targeted international sanctions and trade monitoring.

  2. 8 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Pakistan court grants custody of Christian girl to accused kidnapper

    Human rights activists are protesting a Pakistani court decision that granted custody of a 13-year-old Christian girl to a man accused of kidnapping and forced conversion.

  3. 11 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    Pakistan Christian advocates protest custody ruling and rising violence

    Christian rights advocates in Pakistan are protesting a court ruling granting custody of a 13-year-old girl to her alleged abductor and reporting increased violence against the Christian minority.

  4. 16 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Christian minorities in Pakistan face reports of abduction and assault

    Christian minorities in Pakistan face reported incidents of abduction, physical assault, and religious intimidation in Sheikhupura and Lahore, amid concerns over police response and family safety.

Sources

akref.ead.de · bhaskarlive.in · claas.org.uk · desitalkchicago.com · kr.christianitydaily.com · nieuwrechts.nl · opensports.com · worthynews.com · yespunjab.com

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history