What is the current state of religious freedom in Pakistan?

 The current state of religious freedom in Pakistan is concerning, as religious minorities, including Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Shias, and Ahmadis, often face discrimination and violence. Pakistan's blasphemy laws, which carry a possible death sentence for anyone found guilty of insulting Islam, have been heavily used against religious minorities, particularly Christians and Ahmadis

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. In 2022, Freedom House rated Pakistan's religious freedom as 1 out of 4, noting that the blasphemy laws are often exploited by religious vigilantes and curtail the freedom of expression for Christians and Muslims, especially Ahmadis

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.Religious minorities in Pakistan are subject to frequent attacks and threats, including accusations of blasphemy, targeted killings, lynchings, mob violence, forced conversions, and the desecration of their houses of worship and cemeteries

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. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has documented more than 50 Pakistani Christians and religious minorities currently detained or imprisoned on charges of blasphemy, with some facing execution

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.In recent years, there have been incidents of churches being attacked and burned in Pakistan. For example, in August 2023, a Muslim mob attacked a Christian area in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province, burning a church and damaging four others

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. In another incident, eight churches were set ablaze in Pakistan's Punjab province following accusations of blasphemy against Islam

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