Pakistan’s human rights crisis deepens amid election rigging

A report highlighted Pakistan’s rising human rights abuses against minorities, including Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadis, exposing the deep disenfranchisement within the country. At the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Commission, victims shared testimonies of state-sponsored atrocities against minorities.

The report stressed that religious minorities face systemic persecution, with increasing violence against them, particularly the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, which has seen a surge in killings, arbitrary arrests, and attacks on places of worship. Christians and Hindus also face mob violence, often under the guise of blasphemy charges, and forced conversions remain a serious issue, with courts complicit in validating such acts.

Ethnic minorities, like the Pashtuns and Baloch, have endured military repression, including extrajudicial killings, disappearances, and torture. The report also criticized the erosion of democratic institutions, citing the controversy over Pakistan’s 2024 general election as a sign of the military’s growing unchecked power and the weakening of democratic processes.