Despite 10 years of delay in implementing 2014 Supreme Court orders, government accused of ‘rushed’ legislation
The National Assembly on Wednesday passed the 27th (Amendment) Bill to the Constitution 2025. PHOTO: RADIO PAKISTAN
The National Commission for Minority Rights Bill 2025 was passed by the National Assembly and Senate in a joint session on Tuesday, despite intense debate. This landmark legislation aims to protect the rights of non-Muslims and create a commission dedicated to minorities.
The bill is part of a decade-long effort to implement the Supreme Court’s 2014 directive to establish a special commission to safeguard minority rights. Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, who proposed the bill, said: “The bill has been delayed for 10 years and politics should not influence it.” He added that the passage of the bill marks a historic step towards formalizing the protection of minority rights in Pakistan.
According to the bill, the commission will be composed of 16 members. Each of the four provinces will appoint two minority members. One member will represent Islamabad, appointed at the discretion of the Chief Commissioner. Three members will come from existing bodies – the National Human Rights Commission, the National Commission on the Status of Women and the Child Rights Commission – appointed by their respective chairpersons. Officials from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Human Rights will also be part of the commission. Members and the president must be at least 35 years old, with the president having experience in the field of human rights.
Read: 2014 verdict on minorities yet to be implemented: SC
The session was marked by heated exchanges on the long-standing issue of protection of minorities and the Qadiani community. Minister Tarar stressed that the bill aimed to implement the directive of the Supreme Court and assured the lawmakers that no legislation would contravene the Quran and Sunnah.
Article 35 of the bill, relating to the Qadiani community, was withdrawn. The amendment proposed by the JUI-F to delete the clause, presented by Alia Kamran, was adopted by a majority. Minister Tarar assured lawmakers that the commission would respect the Constitution and no legislation would contravene the Quran and Sunnah.
Kamran Murtaza highlighted the potential conflict with previous protections for Qadianis, while senators Noorul Haq Qadri and Qadir Patel stressed that the bill should not be misused against any community.
Murtaza warned that clause 35 could undermine existing safeguards for Qadianis. Tarrar responded that the Constitution recognizes Qadianis as non-Muslims and agreed to remove the clause. Senator Noorul Haq Qadri clarified that the PTI and JUI-F had no objection regarding Hindus, Sikhs or Christians, but the Qadiani community remained a sensitive issue. Qadir Patel added: “No law should be made which could be misused, and accountability will be given on the Day of Judgment. »
Opposition leaders, including Maulana Fazlur Rehman, criticized the 27th constitutional amendment, saying it did not meet democratic demands and had created social divisions. He recalled that even under Bhutto in 1973, negotiations took place before the amendments were adopted.
Learn more: Two more bills to protect minority rights on maps
Fazlur Rehman expressed concerns about following Western models and said, “Today we are following the path of the Jews and Christians,” calling for the correction of the Constitution and the reversal of errors.
Raja Nasir Abbas highlighted Pakistan’s continuing human rights challenges and questioned the rushed pace of passing laws, while Fazlur Rehman warned that the debate risked reopening old controversies.
