A People Betrayed: The Silent Persecution of Shia Muslims in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir

By Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, New Age Islam 27 June 2025 Lack of International Attention and Growing Resistance: The persecution remains underreported globally due to geopolitical sensitivities. However, recent protests across PoK reflect a rising demand for justice and equal rights. This article calls on the international community, including the UN and other international human rights organizations, to break their silence and take concrete action. Main Points: 1. Systematic and Longstanding Persecution: Shia Muslims in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), especially in Gilgit-Baltistan, have faced decades of sectarian violence, including mass killings like the 1988 Gilgit Massacre and targeted executions in the recent years. This persecution is not incidental but historically entrenched and structural. 2. State Complicity and Extremist Violence: The Pakistani state and security forces are either complicit in or indifferent to sectarian attacks carried out by extremist Sunni groups such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Sahaba. These groups operate with impunity, while victims receive little to no protection or justice. 3. Blasphemy Laws as Tools of Oppression: Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are being used selectively against Shia clerics and scholars. The arrest of figures like Agha Baqir ul Hussaini highlights how these laws are weaponized to suppress dissent and religious expression within the Shia community. 4. Institutional Discrimination and Marginalization: Despite being a majority in Gilgit-Baltistan, Shias face economic neglect, underrepresentation in governance, and unequal access to public services. Religious gatherings are often restricted under the guise of security, reinforcing their civic disenfranchisement. ------ What is unfolding in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is more than sectarianism — it is structural oppression, enabled by state complicity and driven by an ideology that sees Shia identity as a threat. The victims are not only targeted by terrorists but are also betrayed by the very institutions meant to protect them. If the international community continues to look away, Pakistan’s Shia population — especially in PoK — will remain at the mercy of an increasingly intolerant state, where identity can become a death sentence. In the snow-capped valleys of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), nestled in the strategic and resource-rich region of Gilgit-Baltistan, a silent crisis continues to unfold — the systematic persecution of Shia Muslims. Beneath the beauty of the rugged terrain lies a deep-rooted history of sectarian discrimination, violence, and state neglect. From historical massacres to present-day repression, the plight of Shias in PoK remains one of the least reported human rights tragedies in South Asia. A History of Blood and Silence The persecution of Shia Muslims in PoK is not a recent phenomenon. It can be traced back decades. In one of the darkest chapters of sectarian violence in the region, the 1988 Gilgit Massacre left an indelible scar. What began as a minor religious disagreement over the sighting of the Ramadan moon escalated into a brutal pogrom. Armed Sunni militants, reportedly aided by the Pakistani army and Afghan mujahideen, attacked Shia villages around Gilgit, killing between 150 to 700 people, torching homes, and raping women. To this day, no one has been held accountable. These massacres continued into the 21st century. In 2012, extremists in military uniforms stopped buses on the Karakoram Highway in Kohistan and Mansehra, identifying Shia passengers by their names and accents before executing them in cold blood. Dozens were killed simply for belonging to the wrong sect. Blasphemy as a Weapon In recent years, persecution has taken a more insidious form — weaponising Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws. Shia clerics and scholars, especially in Gilgit-Baltistan, have been arrested under vague charges. The most prominent recent case is that of Agha Baqir ul Hussaini, a respected cleric detained under Section 295-A, a clause used to penalize alleged blasphemy. His arrest in August 2023 led to mass protests in Skardu, where thousands rallied for his release. Protesters decried the state’s selective targeting of Shias under laws that are rarely applied to Sunni extremists who openly incite violence. Despite public outcry, no meaningful legal reforms have followed. Civic Disenfranchisement and Economic Marginalization Though Shias form a majority in Gilgit-Baltistan, they are underrepresented in the region’s administration, police, and judiciary. Public-sector jobs and scholarships are often awarded disproportionately to Sunni candidates. Shia-majority districts like Skardu, Kargil, and parts of Chilas report lower investment in education, healthcare, and infrastructure compared to Sunni-dominated areas. According to reports by local civil society groups, development funds are withheld, and religious seminaries face surveillance or closure. Even public gatherings for Ashura or Eid-e-Ghadir are restricted under the pretext of “security concerns.” Security Forces and Sectarian Extremism The most troubling aspect of Shia persecution in PoK is the alleged complicity — or at best, indifference — of the Pakistani security establishment. Organizations such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Sahaba, both designated terrorist groups, have historically operated with impunity in Pakistan, including in Gilgit-Baltistan. Security forces are often accused of turning a blind eye to targeted killings and disappearances. Human rights observers have documented over 140 incidents of sectarian violence in the region since 2020. Witnesses report that attackers are rarely pursued, and in some cases, victims are instead criminalized under false charges. Voices from the Ground "I’ve lost two cousins to sectarian attacks," says Abbas Raza, a teacher in Skardu. "We’re made to feel like strangers in our own land. Even our prayers are considered subversive." Another activist from Gilgit, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisals, describes the atmosphere as “a pressure cooker.” He explains: “We are surrounded by soldiers, but they do not protect us. They intimidate us. Every cleric, every speaker, every protester is under surveillance.” International Indifference and UN Inaction While global attention often focuses on Pakistan’s role in sponsoring cross-border militancy, little international pressure has been applied to address its internal sectarian crisis. The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has heard testimonies from activists on the plight of Shias, especially in Parachinar, Gilgit, and Skardu, but resolutions remain symbolic. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have sporadically reported on Shia persecution in Pakistan, but systemic investigation into PoK remains limited, possibly due to its politically sensitive nature as a disputed territory between India and Pakistan. Protests That Echo Beyond the Mountains Despite the repression, voices of resistance have grown louder. In 2024 and 2025, massive protests broke out across Gilgit-Baltistan, with demonstrators demanding equal rights, protection from sectarian violence, and an end to false FIRs against religious leaders. These demonstrations, however, have been met with tear gas, detentions, and curfews. “The state treats us like enemies,” says a protest leader in Skardu. “But our only crime is demanding dignity.” While Pakistani government must immediately repeal the draconian discriminatory blasphemy laws, and ensure equal treatment and protection for Shia communities, and prosecution of sectarian militants, the UN and international human rights groups must demand unfettered access to Gilgit-Baltistan for independent observers. At the same time, international media outlets would do better to to these stories. Silence is complicity. ----- A Regular Columnist with Newageislam.com, Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is an Indo-Islamic scholar, Sufi poet and English-Arabic-Urdu-Hindi writer with a background in a leading Sufi Islamic seminary in India. He is currently serving as Head of International Affairs at Voice for Peace & Justice, Jammu & Kashmir. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-sectarianism/betrayed-persecution-shia-pok/d/136003 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism