Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI
Freepik
Lahore (Agenzia Fides) – Christian and Hindu prisoners in Pakistani prisons suffer abuse and discrimination related to or aggravated by the fact that they do not profess the Muslim faith. This is the finding in the report “Hope Behind Bars,” published by the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) of the Pakistan Bishops’ Conference and sent to Fides. The Commission expresses “deep concern about the treatment of inmates belonging to minority faiths” and highlights the “inhumane treatment of Christian prisoners in Pakistan.”In preparing the report, part of an investigation that lasted approximately three years, the Commission encountered legal and procedural obstacles, as well as a lack of cooperation from the authorities, which hampered the work of the NCJP’s legal teams in gathering information. Nevertheless, based on the data collected and witness statements, the report concludes that “prisoners belonging to religious minorities are particularly vulnerable due to religious discrimination in the prison system.”There are 128 functioning prisons in Pakistan with a total capacity of approximately 66,000 inmates. Data on non-Muslim prisoners are contradictory: While the Punjab Prison Department stated that there are a total of 1,180 non-Muslim prisoners in various facilities, a former inmate reported that over 500 Christians are imprisoned in Kot Lakhpat Prison in Lahore alone.During its last review of compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in October 2024, the United Nations raised serious concerns about prison conditions in Pakistan, citing problems such as overcrowding and inadequate access to food, clean water, sanitation, and medical care. “These problems disproportionately affect prisoners from minority communities, making them particularly vulnerable,” the NCJP text states, noting that prisoners belonging to religious minorities (who collectively constitute approximately 5% of the population of Pakistan, which is 95% Muslim) are disproportionately represented in the prison population. The incarceration rate is well above their percentage of the country’s total population, indicating “a possible systemic bias within the justice system.”In general, the NCJP found that members of minority groups face direct and indirect discrimination in almost all areas of daily life, including incarceration. Once their religious identity is revealed, Christian and Hindu inmates are treated worse by both other inmates and prison staff. They are often considered “untouchable” and assigned degrading tasks, the report states.The report includes testimonies from several Christian inmates, some of whom are innocent, describing the discriminatory treatment they faced. The NCJP called on the Pakistani government and all provincial governments to “establish mechanisms to combat systematic discrimination against minorities in prisons.” It also called on civil society organizations to provide non-Muslim inmates with legal assistance and access to education, including religious education programs and the opportunity to practice their faith in prison to address their spiritual needs. The report recommends “appropriate measures to enable prisoners to report abuse, violence, and inhumane treatment” and calls for a general reform of Pakistan’s prison system. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 23/8/2025)
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