Pakistan’s Parliament has finally approved legislation to create a National Commission for Minorities, a move long demanded by rights groups and ordered by the courts more than a decade ago. While the decision has been welcomed as a step forward, many observers say there is little cause for celebration just yet.
The bill passed on 2 December during a joint parliamentary session, with 160 lawmakers supporting it and 79 opposing. The vote was marked by loud objections from religious parties, some of whom walked out in protest, according to the UK-based organisation Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS-UK).
Under the new law, an 18-member body will be set up to look into complaints, advise the government, assess welfare concerns and monitor whether existing protections for minorities are being carried out in practice. The measure fulfils, at least in part, a 2014 Supreme Court order calling for a formal mechanism to safeguard non-Muslim communities after a series of deadly attacks, among them assaults targeting Christians.
The debate around the bill exposed deep disagreements. Politicians argued over which groups should fall under the commission’s mandate, whether the body should have the authority to act independently, and whether Muslim members should serve on a panel designed to protect minorities. One of the most contentious issues was the exclusion of the Ahmadiyya community, which considers itself Muslim but is declared non-Muslim under Pakistani law.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar defended the measure during the session, insisting the legislation “clearly defines minorities”. He also restated that no law would be passed that conflicted with the Quran or Sunnah, according to reporting by UCA News.
Parliament’s final version of the bill differs sharply from an earlier draft approved in May. That earlier text would have granted the commission powers to inspect prisons, summon individuals and open inquiries on its own initiative. President Asif Ali Zardari sent the draft back for changes, and these stronger powers were removed in the updated version.
The exclusion of Ahmadis was made explicit. Tarar remarked that the commission would not include “those who do not consider themselves non-Muslims”, a comment widely understood as directed at the community. Ahmadi representatives condemned both the decision and the language used in the chamber. Spokesman Amir Mehmood said Ahmadis were repeatedly singled out during the debate and described the remarks made by some lawmakers as hate speech. He added that the community had not been consulted and had once again been intentionally left out.
Under the new law, the prime minister will appoint members for three-year terms. The body will include three Hindus, two from lower-caste backgrounds, three Christians, one Sikh, one Baha’i, one Parsee and two Muslim human rights specialists. Each province will also nominate a representative, along with one from the federal capital.
Human rights organisations have expressed mixed feelings. Many say it is positive that the government has finally acted, but warn that the limitations of the law could leave minority groups no better protected than before. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan urged the government to ensure the new body treats all minorities “equally, without exception”, in line with the country’s constitution.
Nasir Saeed, the director of CLAAS-UK, said that although the move was welcome, it came “more than ten years after the Supreme Court first directed the government” to establish such a commission. He urged authorities to ensure the body becomes effective rather than symbolic, and that it addresses long-standing issues such as forced conversions, coerced marriages, abductions, discrimination and misuse of blasphemy laws.
Naeem Yousaf Gill, head of the National Commission for Justice and Peace, described the development as the product of an “autocratic government” operating in a weakened democratic environment. He warned that political influence and overlapping laws could continue to limit justice for minorities.
Minority groups in Pakistan, including Christians, Hindus and Sikhs, make up only around four per cent of the country’s population of more than 241 million. For years they have spoken of forced religious conversions, pressure to marry against their will, discrimination in workplaces and public services, and the frequent use of blasphemy accusations to settle personal disputes.
The passage of the bill comes at a time of broader concern about shrinking democratic space in Pakistan. Only weeks earlier, Parliament endorsed a constitutional amendment granting Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir lifelong protection from arrest or prosecution and establishing a powerful Federal Constitutional Court.
Religious minorities remain particularly vulnerable amid these political shifts. Many face hurdles in education, employment and access to justice, which deepen cycles of poverty and exploitation.
Adapted from The Christian Post.
