At the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, a side event during the 58th Session of the UN Human Rights Council on 26th March 2025 cast a spotlight on the escalating human rights violations in Pakistan.
The discourse centred on religious persecution, contentious education policies, and the European Union’s role in development aid.
Titled “Human Rights in Pakistan: Education Under Siege – Ideology, Intolerance, and the Erosion of Human Rights in Pakistan,” the event was orchestrated by French NGO CAP Liberté de Conscience, Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), and Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD).
Ms Christine Mirre, Director of CAP Liberté de Conscience, moderated the session, emphasizing the NGO’s 25-year dedication to upholding fundamental rights and religious freedom.
“Our longstanding commitment has been to confront religious persecution in Pakistan, notably against the Ahmadiyya Muslim community,” she remarked.
“Today’s dialogue seeks to unravel how state policies and educational frameworks are being manipulated to infringe upon freedom of conscience.”
The keynote was delivered by Mr Ján Figeľ, former EU Commissioner and inaugural European Union Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU. Figeľ underscored the pivotal role of religious liberty within the human rights spectrum.
“Freedom of religion or belief is not merely one among many rights—it is central to human dignity and serves as a barometer for the safeguarding of all other rights,” he asserted.
Highlighting the EU’s substantial trade ties with Pakistan under the GSP+ scheme, Figeľ noted, “Pakistan stands as the largest beneficiary of GSP+ preferences, yet tangible improvements in human rights remain elusive. The EU must reconsider the implications of its silence.”
He further advocated for a revamp of EU educational support, stating, “Funding that perpetuates discriminatory or extremist educational content must cease. Fostering segregation from an early age undermines the principles of peace, justice, and inclusivity.”
Mr Willy Fautré, Director of Human Rights Without Frontiers, provided an in-depth analysis of the EU’s GSP+ mechanism and its financial contributions to Pakistan’s education sector.
“Between 2016 and 2024, the European Union allocated over €150 million towards education in Pakistan.
“Regrettably, this investment underpins a system where non-Muslim students face marginalization, and extremist clerics influence curricula,” he observed.
“Despite parliamentary inquiries, the Commission’s responses have lacked the necessary transparency and accountability.”
Fautré cited alarming incidents, such as a professor in Punjab compelled to publicly renounce teaching Darwin’s theory following threats from clerics. “This isn’t education—it’s ideological coercion. The EU’s credibility is on the line,” he warned. He concluded with a call to action: “For Europe to maintain its stature as a human rights advocate, it must ensure that public funds do not facilitate the erosion of pluralism and academic freedom.”
Mr Anwar Mehmood Rehman, a Swiss-based Ahmadiyya Muslim politician and human rights activist, shared a poignant personal narrative detailing the persecution endured by the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan.
“Ordinance XX criminalizes our very identity. We’re prohibited from identifying as Muslims, voting, or holding public office.
This is state-sanctioned exclusion,” he lamented. “In schools, children are indoctrinated to view Ahmadis as deceitful or heretical. My own father, a dedicated physician serving the underprivileged, was murdered by a student radicalized by such teachings.”
Rehman implored international bodies to take decisive action. “We demand the repeal of blasphemy laws and urge Pakistan to honour its commitments under international human rights conventions,” he appealed. “Expressions of concern are insufficient. We require protection, recognition, and immediate reform.”
Ms Inna Chefranova, Publisher of EU Global News and Executive Director of the European Facilitation Platform, shed light on the harrowing plight of minority girls subjected to forced conversions and marriages.
“Forced religious conversion is a systemic issue, not a sporadic anomaly.
“It’s facilitated by curricula that marginalize non-Muslim identities and normalize Islamic supremacy,” she explained. “Cases like that of 13-year-old Arzoo Raja, abducted, converted, and married to an older man, exemplify the failures of Pakistan’s judiciary and educational system.”
Chefranova connected these abuses to international trade and aid mechanisms. “The EU cannot, in good conscience, continue granting GSP+ privileges while such systemic abuse persists. Monitoring without enforcement betrays the victims,” she asserted. “Education should serve as a vehicle for inclusion, not indoctrination. Until tangible reforms are realized, support must be contingent upon measurable progress.”
A recorded message from Mr Bert-Jan Ruissen, Member of the European Parliament and Co-Chair of the Parliament’s Intergroup on Freedom of Religion or Belief, was also presented. “We finance education in Pakistan, yet we disassociate from the content of that education,” he remarked. “This is indefensible.”
Ruissen highlighted a recent inquiry to the European Commission, which confirmed that EU taxpayers’ money had been directed to “religious seminaries,” interpreted as madrassas where young boys are susceptible to radicalization, and where much of the Taliban’s leadership received their indoctrination.
He called for legislative action. “The EU must incorporate these concerns into the forthcoming GSP+ review. We cannot subsidize hatred and exclusion.”
The event concluded with a synthesis of the panel’s recommendations by Fautré. “We urge the United Nations and European institutions to mandate legal and curricular reforms in Pakistan, safeguard educators and students from coercion, and ensure that aid aligns with international norms,” he summarized. “Education must be an instrument of empowerment—not division.”
The gathering attracted a diverse audience, including diplomats, NGOs, and civil society members, and culminated in an engaging Q&A session. A consensus emerged emphasizing that future EU engagement with Pakistan, particularly in light of the impending GSP+ review in 2025, must be underpinned by conditionality, accountability, and transparency.
