Pakistan’s parliament has passed the long-delayed bill to establish the National Commission for Minority Rights. The move has been hailed as a step towards protecting non-Muslim communities, including Christians, but has been criticized by advocacy groups for stripping them of key investigative and enforcement powers.
The National Minority Rights Commission Bill 2025 was passed by a majority vote in a joint session of the National Assembly and Senate on December 2, paving the way for the establishment of a government-appointed commission to monitor minority rights and advise authorities. However, the revised law removes provisions that would allow the commission to launch investigations or subpoena officials, a change that has raised concerns about the commission’s independence and effectiveness.
Under the new law, an 18-member commission comprising three Hindus (two from lower castes), three Christians, one Sikh, one Bahai, one Parsi, and two Muslim human rights experts will investigate violations of minority rights, monitor policy implementation, and advise government departments on the welfare of minorities.
Each of the four provinces will nominate one representative from its human rights or minority sector and one minority lawmaker from Islamabad. The appointment will be made by the Prime Minister of Pakistan for a three-year term.
However, the revised bill would strip the commission of its power to subpoena witnesses, inspect detention centers, or launch its own investigations. The powers were included in a May 12 bill sent back to parliament by President Asif Ali Zardari for broader discussion and consideration after some parliamentarians and the government objected to giving the agency “suo motu” powers.
Opposition parties, especially Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), created an uproar in the House of Representatives when Federal Law and Human Rights Minister Azam Nazir Tarar put the bill up for a vote.
Addressing the session, Tarar said: “Neither the law nor the constitution nor our conscience will allow us to make proposals that are contrary to the Quran and the Sunnah.”
He said four amendments to the original draft of the bill were proposed and incorporated into the bill. The amendment was ultimately supported by 160 MPs, with 79 voting against it.
Tarar said the constitution defines minorities as “non-Muslims” and said: “This is a commission for non-Muslims. Our Hindu, Christian and Parsi brothers are good Pakistanis just like us.”
The minister recalled that a 2014 Supreme Court judgment by former Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Gilani called for the establishment of a commission for minorities.
According to Article 75(2) of the Constitution, the bill will be referred back to the President. This article stipulates that “the President must give consent within 10 days, and if consent is not obtained, consent shall be deemed to have been given.”
Minority rights activists expressed cautious support for the new law.
Peter Jacob, executive director of the Center for Social Justice (CSJ), a research and advocacy group, said a draft uploaded to the parliament’s website on December 2nd said the commission would consist of 18 members, but that document was later removed from the website, creating confusion about the bill passed by parliament.
“Until the government shares the final draft of the passed bill, I cannot comment on the composition of the committee. However, if the approved bill in its current form provides that the committee will have 18 members with proportional representation from federation units as well as federations, we hope to establish a good body,” Jacob told Christian Daily International.
However, a prominent minority rights advocate regretted the removal of the committee’s suo motu powers from the amended bill, saying it could have allowed the committee to intervene in the matter on its own, as the petitioners could have succumbed to pressure from government departments or other bodies.
Jacob called for merit-based appointments on the committee, saying this was necessary to address structural imbalances in government structures and make them more inclusive.
Barrister Akmal Bhatti, chairman of Minority Alliance Pakistan, expressed similar concerns and said the bill fell short of expectations.
“The 2014 Supreme Court directive to establish a minority commission was ignored and the bill stalled with the president for more than a year due to unwarranted opposition,” Bhatti told Christian Daily International.
He argued that the bill appeared to be aimed at satisfying international observers rather than meaningfully protecting domestic minorities, saying: “It is unfortunate that the government has prioritized international monitoring over its constitutional obligations and bowed to pressure from European Union observers.”
Mr. Bhatti specifically criticized the bill’s limitations, saying government-appointed commissioners would not be able to effectively address discriminatory policies. “The commission can only make recommendations and has no power to force changes or hold institutions accountable,” he said.
She welcomed the 33% representation of women, but expressed concern about the reduction in minority representation on the proposed committee.
“The NCMR also lacks the power to take action against government agencies involved in violations of minority rights. The commission’s report is subject to review by the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights and the National Assembly’s Human Rights Committee, rendering the commission powerless in its current form,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) welcomed the passage of the bill in a post on X.
“Noting that the legislative deliberations and proposed amendments reflect some political friction, we intend to examine the bill closely, but emphasize that the proposed commission must provide equal protection to all religious minorities, without exceptions or hierarchies,” HRCP wrote.
“Furthermore, its mandate and powers must be strictly consistent with the constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion or belief and non-discrimination for all minority nationals,” the group said.
Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs make up approximately 4 percent of Pakistan’s population of 241.5 million. Deep-rooted discrimination, poverty and limited access to education and employment make these minority communities vulnerable to rights violations, rights activists say.
