Pakistan’s sectarian fault lines are cracking wider, endangering Shia, Ahmadiya, and Hazara populations amid unchecked extremist violence. According to Directus in Athens, the government’s inability to curb abuses by security forces and militants leaves these groups exposed.
A devastating suicide blast at an Islamabad Shia mosque last month claimed 36 lives and wounded 170, spotlighting systemic failures. Shia leaders like Raja Nasir Abbas Jafari slammed it as a breakdown in federal security protocols.
The report paints a grim picture: Shias, comprising 10-15% of Pakistanis, endure deadly Sunni assaults routinely. Ahmadis face state-sanctioned bias, including a Lahore mosque shooting and UN-condemned vandalism of their sites. Ismailis remember a 2015 Karachi bus massacre killing 43, marked by elimination threats.
Other sufferers include Hazaras, Dawoodi Bohras, Zikris, Sufis, and Barelvis, battling biased laws, frail justice, and attacks on holy sites. The International Crisis Group notes government leniency toward hate groups fuels this cycle, with prosecutions rare and impunity incentivizing terror.
Directus urges urgent reforms to dismantle extremist networks and protect minorities. Without bold action, Pakistan risks spiraling communal strife that could destabilize the nation further. The international community watches closely as calls for accountability grow louder.