ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is taking steps to establish an independent commission to protect minority rights, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday, as the country marked National Minorities Day amid longstanding concerns over forced conversions and violence targeting religious communities.
The commission, being established under legislation enacted last year, will address grievances, monitor constitutional and legal safeguards and issues involving places of worship and employment quotas, and make recommendations on government policies and laws.
“The enactment of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 2025 to safeguard the rights of minorities is undoubtedly a significant national milestone,” Sharif said in a message marking the day.
“Under the above stated Act, the Ministry of Human Rights is taking the necessary steps for the establishment of an independent commission,” he added.
Pakistan observes National Minorities Day on Aug. 11, commemorating a 1947 speech by the country’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, in which he declared citizens were free to go to their temples, mosques or other places of worship and said religion had “nothing to do with the business of the State.”
Religious minorities in Pakistan have long complained of discrimination and persecution, including attacks on places of worship and allegations of abductions, forced conversions and marriages involving Hindu and Christian girls.
Sharif said the new commission would also promote equality and inclusion, while his government was implementing an Interfaith Harmony Policy introduced in 2025 and a National Action Plan for Human Rights unveiled this year.
“The minorities living in Pakistan are an integral part of our national fabric and reflect the true beauty of our diverse social and cultural landscape,” the prime minister said.
