Islamabad, Jan 30 (IANS) The World Watch List 2026 released by global Christian advocacy group Open Doors has highlighted that the Christians in Pakistan — who constitute just 1.8 per cent of the population — continue to face “systemic discrimination, violence, forced conversions, bonded labour, and gender-based persecution”, amid minimal state protection, a report said on Friday.
It added that Pakistan remains among the top 10 most dangerous countries for Christians worldwide, securing 8th position on the Open Doors World Watch List 2026, which assesses persecution of Christians in 50 countries.
According to a report in Eurasia Review, “On 27 January 2026, Open Doors presented the World Watch List at a high-level event at the European Parliament in Brussels, hosted by the Chairs of the Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Intergroup, MEP Miriam Lexmann (EPP) and MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen (ECR), and co-hosted by MEP Matej Tonin (EPP).”
Addressing the question and answer session, it said, Joseph Janssen, a Pakistani minority rights activist, drew attention to the ongoing vulnerability of religious minorities despite legislative enactments.
He said, “Although Pakistan’s Parliament passed the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act in May 2025, setting 18 as the minimum legal marriage age, minority girls continue to be abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and married to their abductors, with little to no implementation of the law. Courts continue to apply Sharia laws over ordinary civil laws in such cases.”
“Janssen also drew attention to the misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which are frequently used to target Christians through false accusations, leading to mob violence, church attacks, and prolonged imprisonment without justice. He cited the 2023 Jaranwala attacks, where at least 26 churches were burned down, noting that no perpetrators have been held accountable to date,” the report noted.
Citing the Pakistani government’s lack of action against extremist groups such as Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), Janssen said that “religious prisoners remain incarcerated, victims have not received justice, and impunity persists”.
The report noted that Janssen further questioned when the European Parliament would act on its 2021 resolution on Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, and whether the EU would consider suspending Pakistan’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP+) trade status over its failure to comply with human rights obligations under international conventions.
Earlier this month, a report in Open Doors cited that Christians in Pakistan continue to face massive challenges – from the threat of violence to discrimination – every day as blasphemy laws in the country are being used to intimidate them and other minorities.
According to the report, a simple accusation can also lead to mob violence against victims and their families and the wider Christian community, as the weak government and increasing influence of extreme Islamist groups imply that the Christian community has limited protection from the law, further increasing their vulnerability.
–IANS
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