Shashi Tharoor Calls Pakistan’s Minority Rights Crisis “Highly Alarming”
New Delhi, 29th March 2025: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday expressed deep concern over the deteriorating conditions of religious minorities in Pakistan, calling the situation “highly alarming.”
Supporting External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s recent remarks, Tharoor pointed out that India cannot directly raise these concerns with Pakistan due to the absence of formal dialogue between the two nations.
“This is a clear indication that we are troubled by the treatment of minorities in Pakistan. Unfortunately, with no active diplomatic engagement between India and Pakistan, we lack a direct channel to address these concerns and seek corrective action,” Tharoor stated.
He further emphasized that Jaishankar’s statement reflected ground realities. “The minister’s remarks were entirely factual, and we must acknowledge the serious nature of the situation unfolding in our neighboring country,” he added.
Jaishankar, while addressing the Lok Sabha on Friday, assured that India is “closely monitoring” incidents of violence against minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh. He noted that while India is vocal about its stance, changing the “extremist and intolerant mindset” of a neighboring country remains a challenge.
Detailing recent incidents, the minister highlighted three cases involving Pakistan’s Sikh community: one where a Sikh family was attacked, another where a family faced threats due to the reopening of an old gurdwara, and a third concerning the abduction and forced conversion of a Sikh girl. He also mentioned two incidents targeting the Ahmadiyya community—one where a mosque was sealed and another where 40 graves were desecrated. Additionally, he cited a case involving a Christian individual, reportedly suffering from mental instability, who was accused of blasphemy.
On March 26, Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) released a report highlighting a surge in attacks on religious minorities during the first quarter of 2025. The report condemned the increasing violence, stating that justice remains elusive due to limited resources and the influence of political and religious groups.
HRFP President Naveed Walter criticized the worsening conditions, stating, “Religious minorities in Pakistan are frequent targets of violence, including abductions, forced conversions, blasphemy accusations, and even murders. The neglect of their plight makes their suffering even more severe.”
The report also cited several specific cases, including an incident in Chak Jhumra, Faisalabad, where a Christian youth named Wasif Masih was falsely accused of theft, brutally assaulted, and publicly humiliated with black paint smeared on his face.
