February 19, 2026

To,

The Honorable

Maryam Nawaz Sharif

Chief Minister Punjab

OPENLETTER

Subject: Request for Review of Punjab Local Government Act 2025

Respected Madam,

We, the undersigned, respectfully draw your att

Pakistan: In response to the deeply distressing case reported from the outskirts of Sheikhupura, where a minor Christian girl, Aneesha, has allegedly been abducted from her family in the village of Rattian Khurshid, serious concerns have once again been raised regarding the safety and protection

Pakistan: Across South Asia, false accusations of blasphemy—claims of insulting Prophet of Islam or desecrating the Quran—have become a lethal weapon. Innocent lives, including Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists, are consumed by rumor, mob rage, and digital manipulation—often bef

Punjab, Pakistan: A series of violent attacks and systematic harassment targeting Christian communities in Punjab has raised alarm among human rights advocates, religious leaders, and civil society organizations. LEAD Ministries, which documents violence against Christians in Pakistan, has highli

Punjab, Pakistan: Afzal Masih, a devoted Catholic father of four, was murdered while travelling to a Marian pilgrimage in Mariamabad.

He was shot dead after confronting Muslim men who were harassing Christian women in his group.

Months later, his killers have been granted bail

Jarawater, Sindh: After installing a life-changing water pump for Christian and Hindu families in Jarawater, BACA has begun construction of a much-needed washroom.

For years, women endured danger and humiliation using open fields for sanitation. The new facility will restore dignity, sa

Lahore, Pakistan: LEAD Ministries has warmly welcomed the Punjab government’s landmark decision to criminalize child marriage, establishing 18 as the minimum legal age for marriage for both boys and girls. This progressive move ensures that religious interpretations, including Islamic Shari

Faisalabad, Pakistan: Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) has expressed grave concern over the abduction, forced conversion, and forced marriage of 13-year-old Christian girl Sataish Maryam from Tehsil Chichawatni, District Sahiwal of Pakistan.

First Information Report (FIR) registered o

Karachi: The 17th edition of the Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) hosted a full-house and thought-provoking session on digital wellness with the screening of the short film Screen Locked, followed by a stimulating panel discussion featuring prominent voices from the arts, academia, and public he

Pakistan: Construction has officially begun on BACA’s first safe house in Pakistan—a vital sanctuary for persecuted Christian families, including blasphemy victims and survivors of sexual violence. This milestone marks the transition from vision to action, with the ground floor now un

Pakistan: Sumaira George with her mother, Nasreen George, and elder brother, Sahil Masih, standing together as they continue their fight for justice with the support of BACA.

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Rai Muhammad Naeem  Karal Court has dismissed the application filed by Nimra Shah, an accom

Gujranwala, Pakistan: Allegations of violence against two minor Christian brothers in Gujranwala have raised serious child protection and human rights concerns, highlighting the vulnerability of religious minority children in Pakistan.

According to the complaint filed by their father, t

Kasur, Pakistan: In a deeply disturbing incident highlighting the ongoing plight of religious minorities in Pakistan, a Christian bonded labor family has reportedly been brutally tortured and threatened with death in the Village Pahlo area of Kasur District, Punjab.

Another Christian bo

New York: “It is apparent that war and conflicts pose greater challenges to socio-economic development. This is evident in the attendant loss of lives among the civilian population and the vulnerable segments, including women, children, youth and people living with disabilities, and the dis

Kasur, Punjab: Christian families in Pakistan continue to face violence, intimidation, and physical abuse amid worsening religious hatred, with two serious incidents reported this week in Kasur District, Punjab. Victims say they were targeted solely because of their Christian faith and were left