Shafique Khokhar

The girl, who was abducted on 12 June and found by the police, is at the centre of a legal battle over the validity of a marriage contract. Her family and lawyers are contesting the documents presented by the alleged abductor. After granting protective custody, the court ordered an age assessment. Voice for Justice call for a transparent trial and prosecution of those responsible.

Nadeem Masih, 51, was taken to the police on 21 August 2025. He was targeted and repeatedly harassed in Model Town Park where he worked checking weights. He is now free. For his mother, this is an answer to her prayers. For his legal team, “These cases are extremely sensitive and have life-altering consequences.”

Convicted for the death of a soldier during a protest in Gwadar in 2024, the leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee plans to appeal. Human rights groups lament the lack of transparency in the trial and fear new tensions in the province, where the local ethnic group has challenged Islamabad and foreign economic interests.

Husband and wife, caretakers of a gurdwara, were ambushed and shot dead. Investigators have not ruled out a religiously motivated murder. Concern amongst the Sikh and Hindu minority communities. Fr Shakeel Gulzar: an attack on peace, religious harmony and humanity.

The 2026 edition of the prestigious Ludovic Trarieux Prize was awarded to Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha, two lawyers held in a Rawalpindi prison since last January for publishing posts expressing solidarity with Baloch and Pashtun peoples and criticising the country’s military. For human rights organisations, their case is a symbol of restrictions on freedom of expression.

Last week, the authorities evicted security staff and residents from Forman Christian College University. They were given “24 hours” to remove all property and historical artefacts. The administration is seeking a legal solution to retain control of the building. Christian activist: “The government has hurt the community’s feelings”.

The death of a shopkeeper hit by a police bullet has sparked unrest in Rawalakot. At the root of the tensions is the decision by the Islamabad government to outlaw the Joint Awami Action Committee, a group calling for improved public services and local political reforms. Despite the crackdown, a protest march has been announced and is expected to begin tomorrow.

The competition was held last week in Negombo, Sri Lanka. The young athlete from Karachi won the 60kg Muay Boran category. “I won because of the prayers of my parents and my community,” he told AsiaNews. He was able to participate thanks to funds raised among his friends and family. Now he is appealing for a sponsor to support him on his future endeavours.

The provincial government has postponed the decision to restore names from the colonial era following criticism on social media and from conservative circles. For some, it is merely an effort to preserve history; for others, it raises sensitive issues regarding national identity and the significance of Pakistan’s post-1947 narrative. Behind the controversy lies a broader clash over governance.

In his encyclical, Pope Leo XIV singles out Pakistan's first female prime minister as a public figure who promoted the greatness of humanity. A Muslim, she was assassinated in 2007 in Rawalpindi. Pakistani Catholics expressed gratitude towards her for being a “bridge between our national identity and our faith”, and for the Income Support Programme she created, which is still “supporting millions of women”.

Members of the small Muslim group are being denied the right to celebrate the Feast of Sacrifice in Pakistan. A multi-actor movement that includes extremist organisations and public bodies is behind it. A Jamaat Ahmadiya representative spoke to AsiaNews about the “discriminatory treatment” they receive, “and violations of our fundamental rights”.

Whilst Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in China and Islamabad continues to offer itself as a mediator between the United States and Iran, Pakistan is facing growing internal instability. According to analysts, the suicide attack on a train in the capital of Balochistan confirms the strengthening of the armed insurgency and the government’s difficulties in ensuring security. Beijing has also called for the creation of a special force.