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In a tragic incident of violence against the Christian community, a mob brutally beat a Christian man, set his house and factory ablaze over accusations of blasphemy in Sargodha's Mujahid Colony on May 25, 2024, representing yet another instance of escalating violence against Christians in Punjab.
Forced conversions, child brides, and abuse of blasphemy laws are just a few examples. Christian and Hindu girls and young women are especially targeted in the Muslim-majority country. Greater commitment and accountability are needed from police, government, and judiciary. In one year, 3,914 rapes, 664 cases of domestic violence, 174 honour killings, and 44 acid attacks were recorded in Punjab alone.
Rights groups expressed their deep concerns about the severe human rights violations faced by religious minorities including forced religious conversions and child marriages of Christian and Hindu girls, and violent attacks on the pretext of false blasphemy accusations.
On the eve of the National Minorities Day, the Civil Society has urged the government to strengthen laws, policies, and actions to protect minorities against human rights violations, and take serious steps to stop forced faith conversions, and prevent the misuse of blasphemy laws.
The brutal abduction, rape and murder of a Christian woman Shazia Imran in Lahore on June 06, 2023 after her refusal to convert to Islam has shocked and deeply saddened the human rights community in the Country.