Christian and Hindu prisoners in Pakistan continue to suffer discrimination and abuse inside prisons, according to a new report by the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference. The findings, shared with Fides, reveal that inmates from minority faiths endure harsher conditions simply because they do not profess Islam.
The report, titled Hope Behind Bars, is the result of a three-year investigation, despite legal hurdles and lack of cooperation from authorities. It concludes that religious minorities are particularly vulnerable in Pakistan’s prison system, which houses around 66,000 inmates across 128 facilities. While official statistics suggest about 1,180 non-Muslim prisoners nationwide, testimonies collected by NCJP point to much higher numbers. One former inmate reported that over 500 Christians are held in Kot Lakhpat Prison in Lahore alone.
The United Nations, in its 2024 review of Pakistan’s compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, also raised concerns over prison overcrowding, poor sanitation, lack of food, clean water, and inadequate healthcare. According to NCJP, such problems disproportionately affect minority inmates, who make up just 5% of Pakistan’s population but are overrepresented in prisons, indicating possible systemic bias.
The report, quoted by Fides, includes testimonies of Christian prisoners describing degrading treatment. Once identified by faith, inmates are often labeled “untouchable” and assigned menial or humiliating tasks.
The NCJP has urged both the federal and provincial governments to create mechanisms to combat systemic discrimination and to allow non-Muslim prisoners access to legal aid, education, and religious practice. It further recommends reforms to enable inmates to safely report abuse and violence, stressing the urgent need for an overhaul of Pakistan’s prison system to protect the dignity and rights of all prisoners.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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