The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has once again put Pakistan under the spotlight in its 2025 report, recommending that it be kept on the list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC). The charge is a familiar one, Pakistan, according to the commission, continues to commit “systematic” religious freedom violations. The report talks about blasphemy laws, violence against minorities, forced conversions, and even Pakistan’s handling of Afghan refugees.

At first glance, it paints a grim picture. But dig a little deeper and you will see the story is not quite that straightforward.

The headline issue is the misuse of blasphemy laws. According to USCIRF, more than 450 false blasphemy cases were filed in 2024–25 alone, with some 750 people currently behind bars. The report even highlights the case of a YouTuber, Rajab Butt, as an example of how these laws can be used to silence voices.

Moreover, the commission also points to attacks on the Ahmadiyya community mosques torn down, people killed along with harassment of Christians and Hindus, often tied to stories of forced conversion. And then there’s Pakistan’s policy of sending undocumented Afghan refugees back home, which USCIRF calls discriminatory.

Taking together, the report argues, these amount to ongoing, serious violations of religious freedom.

What USCIRF does not acknowledge is that Pakistan........

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