The President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, has given assent to the National Commission for Minorities Rights Bill, 2025, establishing a statutory body to monitor, protect, and promote the rights of religious minority communities. The commission will provide recommendations to the government on policy and legal matters concerning minorities, including forced conversions, discrimination, and social exclusion.

The creation of the commission follows a 2014 Supreme Court directive instructing the federal government to establish a statutory body for minority rights. Legislative efforts, in the past, faced delays due to political divisions and jurisdictional complexities, as minority affairs are primarily a provincial subject under Pakistan’s Constitution, requiring provincial approval for federal legislation. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan passed such resolutions in 2021 and 2023, enabling Parliament to legislate at the federal level.

Efforts to establish a minority rights commission date back to 2015, with various private members from PPP, PTI, MQM, and JUI-F introducing bills. Most proposals failed to progress beyond committee stages due to political resistance. The first formal government bill in 2023 passed the National Assembly but lapsed in the Senate. Multiple drafts were introduced in subsequent years, culminating in the 2025 government bill, which was passed in a joint sitting of Parliament on December 2, 2025, with 160 members voting in favor and 79 opposed.

The commission will comprise 17 members, including representatives from statutory human rights bodies and minority communities, serving a four-year term. It will monitor constitutional safeguards, review laws and policies for potential discrimination, investigate complaints, and provide recommendations. Legal and financial support will also be extended to victims of rights violations.

Significant changes were made from earlier drafts to the final 2025 version. Proposed clauses granting the commission overriding powers over other laws and suo motu investigative authority were removed. The composition was streamlined from 30 members to 17, with broader representation. Provisions were added to establish an 18-member advisory council, extend the term of office from three to four years, and provide legal and financial assistance to minority victims. These changes reflect a balance between meaningful oversight and political acceptability.

The establishment of the commission represents Pakistan’s first statutory national institution dedicated solely to minority rights. While it does not alter existing constitutional definitions or the legal status of Ahmadis, it provides a formal platform for addressing systemic issues, including discrimination, social exclusion, and forced conversions. Experts note that although the commission’s powers are advisory, it has the potential to influence policy, improve data collection, and raise awareness of minority issues nationwide.

Despite its historic passage, the commission’s effectiveness will depend on implementation, adequate funding, and political support. Without enforcement authority; however, there is a risk it may remain symbolic, but it nonetheless constitutes a significant legislative milestone, aligning Pakistan’s legal framework more closely with international human rights standards and providing a decade-long-awaited mechanism for the protection and advocacy of minority communities.