Shafique Khokhar

The Punjab government has increased fines for traffic violations and introduced a penalty point system. For activist Zafar Iqbal, “the positive impact is already visible.” Decades of negligence have led to chaos, notes journalist Hamza Arshad. Unhappy, ordinary people want a review of priorities.

For years, a mother suffering from health problems and her son lived in conditions of slavery in a brick kiln in Pakistan. A debt contracted with the owner after the husband’s death turned out to be a trap. Their freedom was regained thanks to the intervention of a Christian activist. Now they face the challenge of rebuilding their lives from scratch — without a home, savings, or a stable source of income.

In Khushab District, a Christian family reports growing threats and the forced conversion to Islam of their 17-year-old daughter. The girl was taken by the police and then went missing from state custody. The Edge Foundation is assisting the parents, now hiding for fear of retaliation, and is preparing an appeal to the Lahore High Court. This case is emblematic of the persecution affecting religious minorities in Pakistan.

The CCIDE and NCJP Pakistan are behind the initiative that brought together students, activists, as well as Muslim, Christian, Hindus, Sikh, and Parsi leaders. The nation's founder and the values ​​of tolerance and freedom of worship were stressed. True change lies in translating the values ​​of understanding, love, respect, and peace into concrete action.

Over two million people have been forced to leave their homes due to unprecedented flooding. To address the humanitarian crisis, the HEAL Foundation Pakistan has organised a medical camp in Faisalabad, providing free assistance and medicines to 150 people.

Two years after the dramatic assault on the Christian neighbourhood of Faisalabad that sowed violence and destruction, the local community has launched the longest public protest by a minority in Pakistan's history. Lala Robin Daniel tells AsiaNews: ‘Criminal complaints have fallen on deaf ears, and after promises of compensation, the Punjab government is now ignoring us. Without answers, we will boycott the upcoming by-elections.’

Shamraiz Masih, 14, was cajoled and abducted. His mother, Rehana Imran, report the matter to the police, but the officers showed only apathy and disinterest. The court placed the child in custody with distant Muslim relatives. “This is not an isolated case,” says an activist.

A few days before the big event in Tor Vergata, the Archdiocese's Justice and Peace Commission held its Youth Day. Kashif Anthony: ‘I want to see their conditions improve and help them work to contribute to the betterment of society and our country.’

The groom, from a Christian family, and the bride, a Muslim, had just been married in a civil ceremony. They were abducted, beaten, and shot to death. For the groom’s father, “Love should not be a death sentence.” According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 405 such murders were reported in the country in 2024.

In Lahore, police charged Amir Masih under Article 295-C of the Penal Code without any investigation, relying solely on the First Information Report. The NGO Dignity First praises the upper house for approving a partial abolition of the death penalty, a first step towards reforming the judicial system.

The murder, which took place on the outskirts of Quetta, involved a couple that married for love, a union not accepted by the bride’s family. A local tribal council "allowed" the crime. The bride and groom were shot 19 and 38 times respectively. In 2024, at least 346 such cases were reported in the country. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (PPP) says no to reduced sentences. The Supreme Court Bar Association laments that women suffer the brunt of this form of violence.

A Lahore court acquitted Adil Babar and Simon Nadeem, wrongfully arrested for blasphemy in Pakistan in 2023. Despite the verdict, their families remain exposed to threats and discrimination. Janssen denounces the controversial conduct of the “blasphemy business group”. Justice Khan calls for a commission to investigate within 30 days the way blasphemy rules are used.