NCHR submits report on ‘Pakistan’s Compliance with CERD.
ISLAMABAD, Thursday, August, 2024: The number of persons incarcerated for blasphemy in
Pakistan has gone up exponentially over the last three and a half years from 9 incidents in the year
2021 to 705 cases in 2024, says the Report on ‘Pakistan’ s Compliance with CERD’ submitted by
National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR). The report will be presented before the
International Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on August 8, 2024.
The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) is one
of the core human rights Conventions that Pakistan is a signatory to. The ICERD, under Article 1,
defines racial discrimination as distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, color,
descent or national or ethnic origin. ICERD obligates Pakistan to eliminate racial discrimination in all
its forms, and to promote understanding among all races.
The report highlights the fact that while Pakistan is a signatory to the ICERD, an understanding of
racial discrimination in the country is subpar as racial discrimination has not been defined under any
domestic statute. Other barriers include lack of resources, lack of understanding and awareness and
an absence of clear policies as well as lack of training continues to impede the realization of CERD in
Pakistan.
The report identifies the issues related to racial discrimination in Pakistan and the steps taken by the
government of Pakistan and NCHR to address these issues. Based on ICERD definition of racial
discrimination, the report highlights various issues of racial discrimination within the context of
Pakistan such as ethnic marginalization and lack of political representation, religious and sectarian
discrimination, socio-Economic disparities and refugee populations.
Quoting civil society reports, the report mentions that at least 136 persons cases of alleged forced
conversion occurred during 2023, the majority of whom were Hindu women and girls in Sindh.
Alarmingly, the provinces of Punjab and Sindh, where terrorism incidents were previously lower
compared to other provinces, have witnessed the highest number of incidents against minority
communities. 142 in Punjab and 47 in Sindh in 2023 alone.
Nonetheless, the report says that realizing its obligations the State has taken various steps to protect
its citizens from racial discrimination, by focusing on issues such as minority rights, hate speech etc.
which were recognized and appreciated by this Committee in its review of Pakistan in 2016.
The report shows that between January 2022 and July 2023, the NCHR undertook 133 cases
concerning the protection of minority rights. These cases included 76 complaints and 57 suo motu
actions. The highest number of cases were in Punjab, and the second highest were reported in
Sindh.
Commenting on ethnic and racial diversity in Pakistan, Chairperson NCHR Rabiya Javeri Agha said
that Pakistan, with a population exceeding 240 million, is a multi-ethnic and multilingual country.
“Pakistan is home to a rich tapestry of ethnic groups and religious minorities. While this diversity is a
source of cultural richness, it also presents significant challenges related to ethnic and racial
discrimination,” she said.
The key recommendations given by the NCHR for the State Party’s consideration include unified
policy on religious extremism, fair employment and implementation of minority quotas, access to
justice, speedy investigation of religious and ethnic violence and strengthening accountability in
investigations.
The report also calls for establishing specialized police units, introducing program to curb extremism
and hate speech, emphasizing tolerance and inclusivity in educational institutions, implementing
government’s pledge to reform the Madrassa education system, promoting human rights and
responsibilities and effective Implemention of Justice Jilani Judgment besides drafting and
implementing comprehensive policy for online and offline hate speech.
