Freedom at a Crossroads as Commission Faults State Department and Urges Pakistan CPC Redesignation

Bassyonni

Published: March 6, 2026 4:01 PM ET

Freedom at a Crossroads as Commission Faults State Department and Urges Pakistan CPC Redesignation

The U. S. Commission on International Religious Freedom warns that failures in Washington have jeopardized international religious freedom reporting and protections, with the commission faulting the State Department for not meeting obligations under the International Religious Freedom Act.

What Happens When Freedom Reporting Is Missing?

USCIRF said the State Department failed to transmit the annual International Religious Freedom report to Congress as required by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, a lapse the commission says has allowed a break in punitive measures for violators. The commission noted that presidential actions tied to IRF designations may terminate by the end of 2025 unless expressly reauthorized by law, and it recommended filling the vacant ambassador-at-large post and other key roles tied to assembling the report. The ambassador-at-large nominee, Mark Walker, was not confirmed by the Republican-led Senate before the end of 2025, the commission noted.

USCIRF also criticized the suspension of the refugee program and the imposition of a 7, 500 refugee ceiling, saying this cap and other resettlement policies limit space for those fleeing severe religious persecution. The commission called for increasing refugee admissions and prioritizing funding for foreign assistance programs that promote religious freedom. USCIRF warned that the State Department’s suspension of foreign aid left hundreds of victims in need of lifesaving assistance in countries such as Afghanistan, Burma, Egypt, Nigeria, and Vietnam, and that funding cuts contributed to 11. 6 million refugees losing access to humanitarian assistance.

What If Pakistan Is Redesignated as a Country of Particular Concern?

USCIRF urged redesignation of Pakistan as a Country of Particular Concern, asserting that religious freedom in Pakistan deteriorated in 2025. The commission cited persistent application of blasphemy laws, mob violence against religious minorities, and forced conversions of girls from minority communities, particularly Christian and Hindu. It recommended lifting an existing waiver that exempts Pakistan from penalties linked to a CPC designation and urged targeted sanctions—such as asset freezes and visa restrictions—against officials and agencies responsible for severe violations of freedom of religion or belief.

USCIRF recommendations: appoint an ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom; increase refugee admissions; prioritize foreign assistance funding tied to religious freedom; redesignate Pakistan as a CPC and lift the waiver; pursue targeted sanctions.
State Department position: the department stated commitment to submitting reports and maintained that prior Country of Particular Concern, Special Watch List, and Entity of Particular Concern designations remain in effect; a senior official described the U. S. agenda as promoting religious freedom as a universal right.
Documented Pakistan cases highlighted in the commission’s report: four individuals sentenced to death in January 2025 for posting allegedly blasphemous content; a mentally ill Christian, Farhan Masih, charged under blasphemy and terrorism provisions then later acquitted but unable to return to his village; the long-running Junaid Hafeez appeal removed from the Lahore High Court list in March 2025, with Hafeez held in solitary confinement since arrest in 2014.

What Should Policymakers and Advocates Do Next?

USCIRF urged prompt appointment of the ambassador-at-large and filling of other vacant roles tied to the IRF report, and it pressed the administration to restore refugee admissions and foreign assistance levels that support victims of religious persecution. The commission emphasized that stronger, sustained reporting and enforcement mechanisms are necessary to prevent a lapse in consequences for violators and to protect vulnerable communities. Readers should watch whether the State Department follows the commission’s recommendations and whether Pakistan’s status is reconsidered under the International Religious Freedom Act; the commission’s interventions are explicitly tied to the fate of religious freedom.