London, October 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
UK Conservative Party MP Bob Blackman has raised concerns over the alleged persecution of Hindus in Pakistan, urging the British government to explain what measures it is taking to protect religious minorities facing oppression in the country.
Addressing the House of Commons, Blackman said the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Hindus had recently received a report from advocacy group Insight UK detailing what it described as the worsening plight of Hindus in Pakistan.
He also noted that Diwali coincides with Remembrance Sunday this year, an occasion observed in the UK to honour members of the armed forces who lost their lives in service.
Blackman extended Diwali greetings to Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, wishing them a peaceful, prosperous and healthy Hindu New Year.
However, expressing concern over the situation in Pakistan, he said the report received by the parliamentary group made for “horrific reading”.
“I ask the Leader of the House to get either the Foreign Secretary or a Foreign Office Minister to come to the House and tell us what the Government is doing to safeguard minority communities, not just in this country, as is right, but in countries where they are severely oppressed,” he said.
In its report, Insight UK alleged that Hindus in Pakistan face systematic persecution, with Islamist extremist groups targeting members of the community, their places of worship and their livelihoods. It also accused Pakistani authorities and the international community of turning a blind eye to their plight.
The organisation warned that Islamist extremism and militant violence were threatening not only religious minorities but also regional stability. It called for greater international scrutiny and urgent action to protect vulnerable communities.
According to the report, more than 1,000 women and girls from Hindu and Christian communities in Pakistan are abducted, forcibly converted to Islam and married to their captors every year.
The report described these incidents as part of a wider pattern of ideologically motivated sexual abuse targeting women from religious minorities.
It also alleged that families often fail to secure justice through legal channels, raising concerns about the ability of institutions in Pakistan to address such crimes.
Insight UK further argued that the British government should take the issue seriously because the UK is among Pakistan’s largest overseas aid donors and regards freedom of religion and belief as a fundamental human right.
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