Landmark bill passed to set up commission to safeguard minority rights

ISLAMABAD: A joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate on Tuesday passed the landmark National Commission for Minorities Rights Bill, 2025 to safeguard the rights of non-Muslims, after addressing concerns raised by the only religio-political party in parliament.

The bill, which seeks to establish a statutory commission to protect the rights of religious minorities and ensure their representation and protection from discrimination, was passed by 160 to 79 votes.

To address the grievances of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF), the government agreed to omit Clause 35 of the bill, which pertained to the overriding effect of the Act on previous laws.

Clause 35 stated that the provisions of the Act would take effect notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other law for the time being in force, which drew strong criticism from the JUIF and other religious circles.

Senator Kamran Murtaza of the JUIF objected to Clause 35, stating that previous laws would also include the Anti-Qadiani Ordinance, 1984.

“This bill will be acceptable to us if this clause, along with Clause 12 — which gives the commission suo motu powers — is omitted,” he said. He added that no impression should be given that the JUIF, as a religious party, was against protecting the rights of minorities.

The bill was initially passed by a joint sitting of parliament in September last year but was returned by the president, who advised certain changes to the draft. Subsequently, Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar moved the bill under Article 75(2) of the Constitution.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman cautioned against reopening “the Pandora’s box of Qadianis,” who were declared non-Muslims in 1974. He pointed out that the law minister himself had stated that Qadianis are non-Muslims and do not follow the Constitution of Pakistan.

“But at the same time, I would ask the minister to be aware of the past tactics of Qadianis,” he said, recalling instances where some Qadianis had opted for minority seats in the Punjab Assembly. Fazlur Rehman also expressed concerns regarding the recently passed 27th Constitutional Amendment and other legislation passed by the ruling coalition. He lamented that no one was taken into confidence regarding the 27th Amendment, recalling that even with a two-thirds majority, former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had held consultations.

“This did not happen with the 27th Amendment. This amendment will remain controversial,” the JUIF chief noted, stressing that efforts should be made to keep the Constitution non-controversial. The JUIF chief also criticised the government for what it called “anti-Islamic legislation” being passed by parliament.

“Just think about the legislations which are being passed. You have declared Sharia marriage before the age of 18 as sexual assault,” he said, adding that the Council of Islamic Ideology had rejected laws regarding transgender individuals.

According to a clause of the National Commission on Minorities Rights Bill, a non-Muslim is defined as per Article 260 of the Constitution. This includes persons belonging to the Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, or Parsi communities; persons of the Qadiani or Lahori groups (who call themselves ‘Ahmadis’ or by any other name); Bahais and persons belonging to scheduled castes.

The commission will monitor the implementation of minority rights, review relevant policies and have powers to independently investigate rights violations. The proposed commission will include representatives from all provinces and minority communities, promoting inclusivity and effective oversight. This legislation reflects a significant step toward fulfilling constitutional guarantees and international commitments to minority rights in Pakistan.

The law minister stressed that the legislation contained nothing contrary to the Quran and Sunnah and reaffirmed that neither the government nor Constitution would allow any contradiction. He informed the House that all four amendments submitted by religious scholars had been incorporated into the final draft. Azam Tarar emphasized that the bill had undergone thorough scrutiny — first by the National Assembly’s Standing Committee, with active participation from minority MNAs, and then by the Senate, where Senator Ali Zafar chaired over six weeks of deliberations. He underlined that the proposed commission would not possess punitive powers, describing it instead as a platform enabling minority citizens to raise grievances directly with the state.

“Our Christian, Hindu, Parsi, Sikh, and other non-Muslim brothers and sisters deserve a forum to address issues — whether forced conversions, job quotas, sanitation workers’ rights, or other matters of dignity,” he said.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parliamentarian Noorul Haq Qadri suggested that the bill, pertaining to a sensitive matter, should be referred to the Council of Islamic Ideology. He endorsed Maulana Fazl’s views, stating that Muslims are sensitive about the dignity of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), and expressed concern that Clause 35 could override Sections 295-A, 295-B and 295-C.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) parliamentarian Abdul Qadar Patel noted that the credit for declaring Qadianis non-Muslims goes to Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and urged that no government should legislate in a way that opens a “floodgate” on sensitive issues. The joint sitting also passed the National Assembly Secretariat Employees (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (Implementation) Bill, 2024, the Pakistan Institute of Management, Sciences and Technology Bill, 2023, the National University for Security Sciences, Islamabad Bill, 2023, and the Ghurki Institute of Science and Technology Bill, 2025.