Lahore, Oct. 16 -- Pakistan continues to face persistent violations of religious freedom despite legislative steps aimed at protecting minorities, with blasphemy laws, forced marriages, religious persecution and institutional discrimination undermining equal citizenship, according to a new report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

In a press release shared on X, HRCP stated that a report titled Sanctuary Denied: Freedom of Religion or Belief in 2025/26 welcomed the passage of the National Commission for Minorities Act 2025 and laws in Punjab and Balochistan raising the minimum marriageable age to 18. However, it highlighted a widening gap between legislative commitments and their implementation.

HRCP noted that the Natio...