ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said ensuring interfaith harmony and equal rights for all citizens, especially minorities, is a key priority for his government as Christians in Pakistan observe Christmas.

Millions of Christians worldwide celebrate Dec. 25 as the birth of Prophet Isa (Jesus), marking the day with religious and cultural festivities. Christianity is the third-largest religion in Pakistan, with the 2023 census recording over three million Christians, or 1.3% of the population. Islam is the country’s largest religion, followed by Hinduism.

However, Christians in Pakistan have reported facing discrimination, including being accused under blasphemy laws, targeted for abductions, and pressured into forced conversions, according to human rights groups. Members of the community have also said they are often confined to low-status jobs, such as sewage work or brick kiln labor.

“It remains a key priority of the Government of Pakistan to ensure interfaith harmony, protection of rights and freedoms, economic well-being, and equal opportunities for professional growth for all citizens without discrimination of religion, race, or ethnicity,” Sharif said in a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Despite government assurances, Pakistan’s Christian community has faced repeated violence in parts of the country. Incidents have ranged from assaults by mobs to suicide bombings.

In May 2024, police rescued at least 10 Christians after a mob attacked their settlement over a blasphemy allegation. In August 2023, a mob in Jaranwala set churches and homes on fire over accusations against two Christian residents. Earlier attacks include suicide bombings in Lahore in 2015 and 2016, which killed dozens, and a 2013 church blast in Peshawar that killed at least 78, one of the deadliest attacks on Christians in Pakistan.

Sharif, in his message, highlighted the contributions of the Christian community to Pakistan’s socio-economic development. “Their significant services in the fields of education, health care, and other walks of life have greatly contributed to the promotion of social harmony,” he said.

“It is a universal message of love, peace, tolerance, and goodwill,” he added.