441-00601 (Foreign affairs)

The Government of Canada is concerned that blasphemy laws are routinely used to restrict freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression, and to justify mob-violence against minority faith and belief communities in Pakistan. The Government of Canada also shares your concerns regarding young women who are kidnapped and forcibly converted for marriage to Muslim men. We recognize that these cases of child, early, and forced marriages continue to be an issue in Pakistan. The promotion and protection of human rights, including the rights of the child, freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression, is an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy. It is also a priority in Canada’s engagement with Pakistan. To that end, the Government of Canada strongly encourages the Government of Pakistan to meet its human rights commitments, strengthen child protection legislation, and reform the country’s blasphemy laws to prevent their indiscriminate use against religious minority groups.

The Government of Canada is concerned by repeated attacks targeting Pakistan’s religious minorities, including Shia and Ahmadi Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Christians. Religious intolerance and discrimination, no matter its form, is completely unacceptable. Canada consistently calls on Pakistan to respect, protect and promote freedom of religion or belief for all. Through the High Commission of Canada to Pakistan in Islamabad and other high-level channels, the Government of Canada has made its views on human rights and freedom of religion or belief known directly to national and provincial authorities in Pakistan, including senior level government officials for human rights, national security, religious harmony and foreign affairs as recently as June 2022. The Government of Canada actively works with partners to ensure that its efforts and advocacy are truly effective and do not put anyone at additional risk. The High Commission of Canada to Pakistan is aware of and following the Notan Lal case in collaboration with likeminded countries.

Through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, the High Commission of Canada to Pakistan supports civil society and human rights organizations that are working to influence these key concerns including countering misinformation against religious minorities in Pakistan and supporting online human rights platforms that report on human rights abuses with the aim of sensitizing the general population.

Similarly, through international assistance programs, Canada supports the empowerment of women and girls on all fronts in Pakistan including through strengthening their access to education, health, employment, political engagement, and awareness of their rights. Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy places gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls at the center of our foreign policy and development assistance efforts. This also includes support for comprehensive approaches that help end these forms of violence, including child, early and forced marriage. For example, in the context of Canada’s international leadership around ending child, early and forced marriage, Canada has supported Girls Not Brides since 2014 ($1M/2014-2016; $1.5M/2017-2019; $2M/2020-2023). Girls Not Brides is a global civil society partnership with over 1500 members in 100 countries working to end child, early and forced marriage, including 98 organizations in Pakistan. Canada is committed to continue working with partners to protect and pursue progress to end this harmful practice.

Internationally, Canada advocates on behalf of persecuted faith and belief communities, opposing religious hatred, discrimination and xenophobia, and works toward fostering greater mutual respect and understanding through interfaith and intercultural dialogues.

Canada also works with international partners to protect and advance the freedom of religion or belief across the globe. Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief in 2015, a unique platform that has brought together over 30 countries committed to advancing freedom of religion or belief internationally. Through our leadership, Canada has coordinated international action on a number of challenging situations, including in Pakistan.

The promotion, protection and respect of human rights are core priorities in our foreign policy. Canada has presented concerns regarding religious freedom and arbitrary use of blasphemy laws to Pakistani authorities and will continue to advocate for the freedom of religion or belief for all in Pakistan.