Islamabad: The World Watch List 2026, released by the global Christian rights organisation Open Doors, reveals that the Christian community in Pakistan continues to face systematic discrimination, violence, forced conversions, bonded labour, and gender-based abuse with minimal protection from the state.
According to the report, Pakistan remains among the top 10 most dangerous countries for Christians worldwide. It is ranked eighth in the World Watch List 2026, which assesses persecution of Christians across 50 countries.
A report by Eurasia Review states that the World Watch List was presented on January 27, 2026, at a high-level event held at the European Parliament in Brussels. The event was hosted by the Chair of the Religious Freedom Intergroup, MEP Miriam Lexmann (EPP), and MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen (ECR), with MEP Matej Tonin (EPP) as co-host.
During the question-and-answer session, Pakistani minority rights activist Joseph Jansen highlighted the ongoing insecurity faced by religious minorities despite existing laws. He pointed out that although Pakistan’s parliament passed the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act in May 2025, setting the minimum marriage age at 18, cases of abduction, forced conversion to Islam, and forced marriages of minority girls continue unabated.
Jansen accused the courts of often applying Sharia law instead of civil law in such cases, undermining effective law enforcement. He also expressed serious concern over the misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which are used to target Christians with false accusations leading to mob violence, attacks on churches, and prolonged detention without trial.
He referred to the 2023 Jaranwala attacks, where at least 26 churches were burnt down, yet no perpetrators have been brought to justice. The report further states that the government’s failure to take firm action against extremist groups like Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) is worsening the situation.
Jansen added that religious prisoners remain incarcerated, victims have not received justice, and a climate of impunity persists in the country.
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