Pakistan: HRCP condemns hate speech targeting Senator for defending minority rights

Islamabad [Pakistan], June 24 (ANI): The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has strongly condemned the inflammatory rhetoric directed at Senator Pervaiz Rashid after his speech in the Senate, denouncing a recent police investigation that allegedly targeted an elderly woman over her religious beliefs during Eid-ul-Adha.
In a post on X, the commission stated, "HRCP strongly condemns the inflammatory language used by a far-right group against Pervaiz Rashid, labelling an elected representative a 'traitor' for defending freedom of religion or belief for all citizens. Equally alarming is the narrative that equates religious minorities--particularly the already vulnerable Ahmadiyya community--with anti-state elements."
The rights watchdog warned that such discourse not only violates the constitutional principles of freedom of expression but also dangerously fuels extremism and deepens Pakistan's sectarian divides. It stated, "Such statements not only violate the principles of freedom of expression but also fuel extremism and deepen existing social divisions. The continued scapegoating of religious minorities in the name of ideology is a grave threat to Pakistan's democratic foundations. We urge the state to uphold the rule of law and take decisive action against such incitement to violence."
The backlash came after Senator Rashid, during the fifth day of the Senate's budget session on June 18, raised alarm over a video circulating online. The footage reportedly shows an elderly woman being questioned in her own home by police or state authorities. According to Rashid, the woman was interrogated about her belief in the finality of prophethood, the origin of the sacrificial meat present in her home, and whether her son-in-law was a member of the Ahmadiyya community--an already marginalised and vulnerable religious minority in Pakistan.
In Pakistan, the Ahmadiyya community faces systemic persecution due to constitutional and legal restrictions. Declared non-Muslims in 1974, they are barred from practicing their faith openly. Blasphemy laws are often misused against them, leading to arrests, violence, and discrimination. Hate campaigns, social ostracisation, and desecration of graves and mosques further marginalise them, making their everyday life fraught with fear and insecurity across the country. (ANI)