The Joint Sitting of the Parliament reconsidered and passed the National Commission for Minorities Rights Bill, 2025 on December 2, 2025. The bill had earlier been passed by both Houses and sent to the President for assent, but was returned with a message to reconsider it. During the Joint sitting, some lawmakers termed certain provisions of the bill controversial and sought amendments to it, stirring a debate on the purpose of the bill.

However, this was not the first time Parliament has taken up this legislation. It has remained on the parliamentary agenda for more than a decade and has been introduced at least for eight times since 2015.

FAFEN has reviewed parliamentary records to list key developments relating to this bill, including previous attempts to legislate on the Commission, debates in both Houses, and major differences between the current law and the version passed in 2023. Let’s start with understanding the context and purpose of the bill.

What is the context of the bill?

According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons given in the bill passed by the Parliament, it seeks to establish the National Commission for Minorities Rights (NCMR) to ensure the protection, empowerment, and development of Pakistan’s religious minority communities. It was drafted in compliance with the Supreme Court’s 2014 judgment directing the federal government to establish a statutory minority rights body.

Since minorities’ affairs fall under the provincial domain, Parliament may legislate only if a Provincial Assembly asks it to do so through a resolution under Article 144. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan Assemblies passed such resolutions in 2021 and 2023.

Under the bill, the NCMR is tasked with monitoring implementation of constitutional safeguards for minorities, reviewing existing or proposed laws, policies, and administrative measures to prevent discrimination, and recommending reforms to federal and provincial governments. It may also inquire into complaints of rights violations and, for this purpose, exercise civil court powers to summon witnesses or records. Based on its inquiries, it may recommend prosecutions, interim relief, and publish its findings.

How many past attempts have been made?

This is not the first bill of its kind before the Parliament. FAFEN’s parliamentary observation records show that lawmakers, mostly non-Muslim, have been attempting to legislate for a minority rights commission since March 2015, nine months after the Supreme Court’s 2014 decision. The members belonging to almost all major parties have introduced similar bills in the past.

During the 14th National Assembly (2013–2018)

  • On March 17, 2015, PPPP MNA Belum Husnain introduced the National Commission for Minorities Bill, 2015.
  • On December 15, 2015, PTI MNA Lal Chand Malhi introduced the National Commission for Minority Rights Bill, 2015.
  • On September 27, 2016, MQM MNA Sanjay Perwani introduced the Pakistan Minorities Rights Commission Bill, 2016.

During the 15th National Assembly (2018–2023)

  • JUI-F MNA James Iqbal introduced the National Commission for Minorities Bill, 2021.
  • PTI MNA Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani introduced the National Council for Minorities Rights Bill, 2023.

All of the above were private members’ bills and did not proceed beyond committee stage.  Separately, several other private members introduced bills such as the National Commission for Minorities Education Bill and the Protection of Minorities Bill, which also proposed institutional mechanisms for minority rights protection.

First formal government legislation on this subject was introduced in the National Assembly
on February 20, 2023 titled ‘the National Commission for Minorities Bill, 2023’. The bill was moved by PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar on behalf of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. It was passed by the National Assembly on August 7, 2023 and sent to the Senate, where it lapsed at the end of the Assembly’s term on August 13.

During the 16th National Assembly (current)

  • On July 9, 2024, PPPP and PML-N lawmakers jointly introduced the National Commission for Minorities Bill, 2024.
  • On February 18, 2025, PPPP MNAs introduced another private member bill titled the National Commission for Minorities Rights Bill, 2025.
  • Meanwhile, the government bill titled the National Commission for Minorities Rights Bill, 2024 was introduced in the Senate by the Federal Minister for Law on January 24, 2025. It was approved by the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights on April 11, 2025, passed by the Senate on April 29, and passed by the National Assembly on May 12, 2025.

The bill was sent to the President for assent but was returned for reconsideration. It was reconsidered passed again in the Joint Sitting on December 2, 2025.

What debate took place in the Parliament?

Only the government attempts to legislate for a minorities commission proceeded beyond the introduction stage. Below are the key take aways from the parliamentary proceedings during the consideration and the passage of the bills.

During the consideration of the 2023 bill in the National Assembly, only non-Muslim lawmakers moved amendments relating to the appointment process for the Chairperson and members, which were adopted. No member raised objections to the bill itself.

During the consideration of the 2025 bill in the Senate, no Senator spoke except the mover, Federal Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, who explained the bill’s context and scope and acknowledged the committee’s work.

During its consideration in the National Assembly, PPPP MNA Naveed Amir, JUI-F MNA Alia Kamran, SIC lawmakers Ali Muhammad Khan, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Sanaullah Mastikhel, and Federal Ministers Azam Nazeer Tarar and Khawaja Asif spoke.

  • The JUI-F lawmaker objected that minority affairs fall under provincial jurisdiction and asked for more time and committee review.
  • SIC lawmakers supported the bill but demanded referral to the Standing Committee. They did not raise content-based objections.
  • PPPP lawmaker praised the bill while the federal ministers defended the consideration of the bill without sending it to the committee.

The Speaker overruled the requests to refer the bill to a committee, citing Rule 148 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, which requires advance notice for a motion to refer a bill to a committee. The bill was then considered clause by clause and subsequently passed.

What is ahead for the bill?

Under Article 75(2) of the Constitution, a bill reconsidered and passed by a Joint Sitting is sent again to the President for assent. The President must assent within ten days, after which assent is deemed to have been given even if not explicitly provided, and the bill becomes law.

How does the current law differ from the version moved by the Religious Affairs Ministry in 2023?

FAFEN’s comparison of the two versions shows several differences:

  • Definition of human rights: The 2023 bill defined human rights as the fundamental rights mentioned in the Constitution; the 2025 bill adopts a broader definition and covers the right to life, liberty and dignity of the citizens guaranteed and included in the international instruments including political and women rights.
  • Vice Chairperson: The 2023 bill provided for an elected Vice Chairperson; the 2025 bill does not have such an office.
  • Establishment of the Commission: Under the 2023 bill, establishment required a federal government notification. The 2025 bill establishes the Commission automatically upon commencement of the Act.
  • NCMR Composition: The 2023 bill provided a 30-member Commission including 18 non-official, 12 official members. Non-official members included representatives of Hindus (six), Christians (four), Sikhs and Muslims (two each), and Buddhist, Kalash, Bahai and Parsi (one each). The official members included BPS-20 officers from five federal ministries and Council of Islamic Ideology, Provincial Secretaries of Human Rights or Minorities Affairs Departments, and Chairman Evacuee Trust Property Board.

In comparison, the 2025 bill provides a leaner 17-member Commission, including a chairperson, eight provincial members representing minority communities, one Islamabad minority members, representatives of statutory commissions on human rights, status of women, and the rights of child, and BPS-21 representatives of four federal ministries.

  • Council of the Commission: The 2025 bill also provides for an 18-member Council of the Commission with minority, Muslim, and provincial representatives. The 2023 bill did not include such a Council.
  • Appointment mechanism: The 2023 bill provided for appointments of chairperson and members by the federal government on the recommendations of a selection committee.
    The 2025 bill mandates a parliamentary committee with equal Senate and National Assembly representation; in case of disagreement, the Prime Minister selects from a panel of three names forward by the committee.
  • Term of office: Three years in the 2023 bill, four years in the 2025 bill.
  • Financial and legal support: The 2025 bill includes provisions for financial and legal assistance to minority victims, absent in the 2023 bill.
  • Government facilitation: The 2023 bill explicitly required federal, provincial, and local agencies to facilitate the Commission. The 2025 bill does not include this provision.
  • Dalit and scheduled caste inclusion: The 2025 bill mandates measures for integration and eliminating discrimination. The 2023 bill did not.
  • Fact-finding and disciplinary powers: The 2025 bill empowers the Commission to conduct fact-finding inquiries and recommend disciplinary action for non-compliance of its orders. These provisions were not included in the 2023 bill.
  • Timeline for rules: The 2025 bill requires rules to be framed within six months. The 2023 bill did not specify a timeline.