{"id":81734,"date":"2025-12-05T08:37:04","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T07:37:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/?p=81734"},"modified":"2025-12-05T12:42:03","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T11:42:03","slug":"experts-highlight-escalating-violence-against-christians-in-india-and-pakistan-at-european-parliament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/experts-highlight-escalating-violence-against-christians-in-india-and-pakistan-at-european-parliament","title":{"rendered":"Experts Highlight Escalating Violence Against Christians in India and Pakistan at European Parliament"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"81734\" class=\"elementor elementor-81734\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-10a3f1a6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"10a3f1a6\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2aefde18\" data-id=\"2aefde18\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-78e924c7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"78e924c7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li><strong>MEPs, advocates, and survivors warn of intensifying anti-Christian violence across South Asia<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Speakers call for stronger EU action as attacks surge in India, Pakistan, and neighbouring countries<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2806fae6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2806fae6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-featured-image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Image-8.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-81724\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Image-8.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Image-8-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Image-8-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5128514e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5128514e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>BRUSSELS <\/strong>(5<sup>th<\/sup> December 2025) \u2013 Members of the European Parliament, human rights advocates, and survivors of persecution gathered at the European Parliament on December 4<sup>th<\/sup> to spotlight the escalating violence and discrimination faced by Christian communities across South Asia.<\/p><p>The event, <em>\u201cTargeted Violence against Christians in South Asia,\u201d<\/em> was hosted by MEP Matej Tonin (EPP) and MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen (ECR), and organised by ADF International. The panel brought together first-hand witnesses and experts to brief policymakers on the urgent need for stronger EU engagement on freedom of religion or belief.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-680f8bd6 elementor-blockquote--skin-border elementor-widget elementor-widget-blockquote\" data-id=\"680f8bd6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"blockquote.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote class=\"elementor-blockquote\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-blockquote__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span style=\"color: #AF272F\">\u201cAcross South Asia, Christians endure violence, intimidation, and deepening marginalisation simply for living out their faith. <\/span>The EU must place the protection of religious minorities at the centre of its foreign policy.\"\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-q-footer\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<cite class=\"elementor-blockquote__author\">- Tehmina Arora, Director of Advocacy in Asia for ADF International<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-17e68f55 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"17e68f55\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u201cTwo attacks a day\u201d: India\u2019s alarming surge in violence<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-54289929 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"54289929\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Speakers highlighted a dramatic escalation of targeted attacks against Christians in India. According to the United Christians Forum, between January and October 2025 alone, more than 600 incidents of violence were documented\u2014averaging two attacks per day\u2014including mob assaults, public humiliation, church disruption, and the demolition of homes.<\/p><p>Twelve Indian states now enforce anti-conversion laws, often used to intimidate and criminalise peaceful religious activity. This year, 123 criminal complaints, so called First have been filed against Christians, and several believers remain in prison across the country.<\/p><p>\u201c<em>Christians in India are punished not for wrongdoing but for simply gathering, praying, or helping their neighbours,<\/em>\u201d explained Arora, presenting documented testimonies from across India\u2019s most affected regions. \u201cE<em>ven the Supreme Court of India recently noted how the anti-conversion laws are misused to wrongly prosecute Christians.\u201d<\/em><\/p><p><strong>Pakistan: Blasphemy laws enabling widespread abuse<\/strong><\/p><p>The panel also warned about Pakistan\u2019s continued use and abuse of some of the world\u2019s harshest blasphemy laws, including provisions carrying a mandatory death penalty. In 2024 alone, 344 new blasphemy cases were registered\u2014many triggered by false or coerced allegations on social media and disproportionately targeting Christians.<\/p><p>False accusations continue to spark mob violence. Speakers referenced the 2023 Jaranwala attacks, where more than two dozen churches were burned, and the 2024 lynching of 74-year-old Christian Lazar (Nazir) Masih in Sargodha.<\/p><p>\u201c<em>There\u2019s an urgent need to introduce procedural changes in the blasphemy laws to curb false allegations that have often resulted in violent attacks on Christian settlements and individuals belonging to both the minority and majority communities. Moreover, a lack of effective prosecution gives the perpetrators of violence a sense of impunity, therefore the law enforcement agencies and the judiciary should ensure that any person or group involved in such incidents are brought to justice<\/em>,\u201d said Asher John, a journalist \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><p>Sharing her own testimony, <a href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/cases\/shagufta-and-shafqat-pakistan\">Shagufta Kausar,<\/a> a survivor of Pakistan\u2019s blasphemy system whose case was previously the subject of an urgency resolution in the European Parliament, urged EU policymakers to remain vigilant:<br \/><em>\u201cUnless the international community acts, countless innocent people will continue to suffer under laws that are used to silence and destroy the most vulnerable.<\/em>\u201d<\/p><p>The Pakistani Christian couple Shagufta and Shafqat had languished on death row for seven years on false blasphemy charges. The Lahore High Court overturned their death sentence in early June 2021. With the support of ADF International they made it safely to Europe after the parents of four faced death threats once the news of their acquittal broke. Watch a <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/yw7gUfBTUd0\">documentary of Shagufta and Shafqat\u2019s ordeal here<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-6b284c79 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6b284c79\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-544fb16c\" data-id=\"544fb16c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-63f401fb elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"63f401fb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;youtube_url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/youtu.be\\\/yw7gUfBTUd0&quot;,&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;youtube&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-video\"> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-container brlbs-cmpnt-content-blocker brlbs-cmpnt-with-individual-styles\" data-borlabs-cookie-content-blocker-id=\"youtube-content-blocker\" data-borlabs-cookie-content=\"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\"><div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-preset-c brlbs-cmpnt-cb-youtube\"> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-thumbnail\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/borlabs-cookie\/1\/yt_yw7gUfBTUd0_hqdefault.jpg')\"><\/div> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-main\"> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-play-button\"><\/div> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-content\"> <p class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-description\">You are currently viewing a placeholder content from <strong>YouTube<\/strong>. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.<\/p> <a class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-provider-toggle\" href=\"#\" data-borlabs-cookie-show-provider-information role=\"button\">More Information<\/a> <\/div> <div class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-buttons\"> <a class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-btn\" href=\"#\" data-borlabs-cookie-unblock role=\"button\">Unblock content<\/a> <a class=\"brlbs-cmpnt-cb-btn\" href=\"#\" data-borlabs-cookie-accept-service role=\"button\" style=\"display: inherit\">Accept required service and unblock content<\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-66bb01f4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"66bb01f4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Forced Marriage and Conversion<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-62b5ad6c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"62b5ad6c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Multiple civil-society and government-linked reports document have highlighted how forced conversions and marriages disproportionately affecting Hindu and Christian girls and young women, especially in Sindh and Punjab provinces.<\/p><p>\u201c<em>Despite fierce opposition by religious groups, the federal government and the provincial government of Balochistan have taken a bold initiative by raising the legal age for marriage for both genders to 18 years. A similar legislation is pending approval in the Punjab Provincial Assembly since April 2024. I\u2019m quite hopeful that after its passage, we will have a legal safeguard against the forced faith conversion of minor Christian girls as conversion and Islamic marriage is used by the perpetrators to give cover to their sexual crimes<\/em>,\u201d said Ijaz Masih, a former minister for human rights and minorities affairs in Punjab and current Member of the Punjab Assembly.\u00a0<\/p><p><strong>Regional decline: Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka tightening restrictions<\/strong><\/p><p>Beyond India and Pakistan, speakers highlighted the shrinking space for religious freedom across neighbouring countries. In Sri Lanka, rising religious nationalism has fuelled at least 39 incidents of threats, intimidation, or disruption of worship in 2025, including protests led by Buddhist monks preventing Christian services. Nepal has intensified surveillance of Christian activity, with authorities arresting and expelling foreign missionaries and ordering district administrations to monitor religious gatherings. Bangladesh also continues to see targeted attacks and harassment, particularly in rural areas where Christians lack protection.<\/p><p><strong>EU urged to take concrete action<\/strong><\/p><p>The discussion focused on how EU institutions can use diplomatic, political, and economic tools\u2014including human rights dialogues, development cooperation, and trade conditionality\u2014to address systemic religious freedom violations.<\/p><p>\u201c<em>The European Union has both the mandate and the means to act. The EU should not only\u00a0continue but\u00a0intensify efforts to protect freedom of religion or belief around the world.\u00a0The reappointment of a Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU is now more necessary than ever<\/em>,\u201d said Arora.<\/p><p><strong>Co-host MEP Matej Tonin <\/strong>stressed: \u201cThe EU should be the promoter of Freedom of Religion or Belief worldwide, we need to show it through facts, not words. <span class=\"css-1jxf684 r-bcqeeo r-1ttztb7 r-qvutc0 r-poiln3\">The <\/span><span class=\"r-18u37iz\"><a class=\"css-1jxf684 r-bcqeeo r-1ttztb7 r-qvutc0 r-poiln3 r-1loqt21\" dir=\"ltr\" role=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/hashtag\/EU?src=hashtag_click\">#EU<\/a><\/span><span class=\"css-1jxf684 r-bcqeeo r-1ttztb7 r-qvutc0 r-poiln3\"> has the tools to prevent the persecution of Christians around the world \u2014 and this was the key conclusion of the event. Political pressure from the European Parliament is important, but the EU also has powerful economic tools in its hands to pressure governments into ensuring religious freedom and stopping persecution. Christians are today the most persecuted religious group in the world, and it is vital that we speak about this publicly and loudly. <\/span>\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d41eebc elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"7d41eebc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-71a5387b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"71a5387b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tImages for free 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Asia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":81724,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[226,641,29,130,244,47,30,27,1467,271],"class_list":["post-81734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-adina-portaru","tag-blasphemy","tag-christian-persecution","tag-europe","tag-european-parliament","tag-india","tag-pakistan","tag-religious-freedom","tag-shagufta","tag-tehmina-arora"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Experts Highlight Escalating Violence Against Christians in India and Pakistan at European Parliament - ADF International<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/experts-highlight-escalating-violence-against-christians-in-india-and-pakistan-at-european-parliament\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Experts Highlight Escalating Violence Against Christians in India and Pakistan at European Parliament\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Members of the European Parliament, human rights advocates, and survivors of persecution gathered at the European Parliament on December 4th to spotlight the escalating violence and discrimination faced by Christian communities across South Asia.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/adfinternational.org\/en-gb\/news\/experts-highlight-escalating-violence-against-christians-in-india-and-pakistan-at-european-parliament\" \/>\n<meta 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