آئینِ پاکستان 1973ء کی روشنی میں مذہبی آزادی اور اقلیتوں کے حقوق: ایک تجزیاتی مطالعہ

Religious Freedom and Rights of Minorities in the Constitution of Pakistan 1973, an Analytical Study

Abstract

This study analyzes religious freedom and minority rights under the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (1973) from an Islamic jurisprudential and constitutional perspective. Pakistan, as a multi-religious state founded in the name of Islam, guarantees religious liberty as a fundamental right through various constitutional provisions, particularly Articles 20, 21, 22, 25–28, and 36. These provisions reflect core Islamic principles of justice, equality, human dignity, and non-coercion in matters of faith, as established in the Qur’an, Sunnah, and classical Islamic jurisprudence. The research examines whether the constitutional framework effectively embodies Islamic teachings regarding the protection of non-Muslim citizens and religious minorities. While the study finds strong theoretical harmony between Islamic legal principles and constitutional guarantees, it also identifies a significant gap between constitutional commitments and practical implementation. Religious minorities in Pakistan continue to face social discrimination and institutional challenges, indicating weaknesses in enforcement rather than doctrinal inconsistency.  The study concludes that effective institutional mechanisms, policy reforms, and the promotion of Islamic values of tolerance and interfaith harmony are essential to ensure the meaningful protection of minority rights and to realize a constitutionally just and authentically Islamic model of religious freedom.