End Blasphemy Laws. Protect Ex-Muslims. Defend Freedom of Thought
Our central demand is clear and urgent: the full repeal of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and the legal recognition and protection of ex-Muslims and apostates. These laws have become tools of religious tyranny—weaponized to silence dissent, punish difference, and enforce a singular, state-approved version of belief. They violate the basic right to freedom of thought, conscience, and expression, and have cost countless lives through mob violence, false accusations, and judicial abuse. Ex-Muslims live under constant threat—not only from the law, but from families, communities, and vigilantes emboldened by a culture of impunity. We demand safety, visibility, and rights for those who leave religion or question dogma.
Dismantle Religious Authoritarianism. Ban TLP. End State-Sponsored Discrimination
These demands cannot be separated from the broader struggle against religious authoritarianism and state-sponsored extremism. Decades of Islamization have hollowed out Pakistan’s democratic institutions, empowered unaccountable clerical bodies, and embedded religious discrimination into law and policy. The state’s alliance with religious parties, coupled with the military’s dominance over politics, has created an environment where minorities, women, LGBTQIA+ persons, and dissenters live in fear.
We call for the dismantling of laws and institutions that enforce religious orthodoxy and punish diversity. We demand the end of forced conversions, the repeal of the Second Amendment that excludes Ahmadis, and strong anti-discrimination protections for all religious communities. We oppose the Hudood Ordinances, the Council of Islamic Ideology, and any religious court that undermines universal human rights.
The continued political legitimacy of extremist groups like Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) is a direct threat to public safety, religious freedom, and democratic values. TLP has incited mob violence, glorified vigilante killers, and repeatedly called for the execution of those accused of blasphemy—including judges, politicians, and activists. Its ideology promotes sectarian hatred, fuels attacks on religious minorities, and normalizes street violence as a form of political expression. A party that openly celebrates murder and undermines the rule of law has no place in a democratic society. We call for TLP to be permanently banned, its leaders held accountable, and its networks dismantled. Appeasing violent extremism has only emboldened it—now is the time to draw a firm line against religious fascism in all its forms.
Reform Education. End Indoctrination. Teach Freedom, Not Hate and Dogma
We cannot meaningfully challenge blasphemy laws or religious authoritarianism without confronting the role of education in sustaining them. For decades, Pakistan’s school system has served not as a space for free inquiry, but as a tool of ideological control. Textbooks are rife with religious propaganda, historical revisionism, and hate speech against minorities. Children are taught not to think critically, but to conform — to silence doubt, to fear difference, and to revere theocratic authority.
We demand a complete overhaul of the national curriculum. Religious content must be removed from subjects like science, history, and civics, and hate speech against Ahmadis, Hindus, Christians, Shias, and others must be eliminated. Education must be secular, inclusive, and rooted in facts — not dogma. Students must be empowered to question, reason, and engage with the world around them without fear of persecution.
We also call for robust human rights education at all levels, including lessons on freedom of religion and belief, gender equality, and the dignity of all identities. The histories and contributions of religious minorities, women, and dissenters must be acknowledged and taught. Madrassas must be regulated and integrated into a unified education framework that upholds democratic values and prevents extremist indoctrination.
If we want a society where no one is punished for thinking differently, then education must be where that freedom begins.
Defend Digital Freedom. End Censorship and Surveillance
In a society where free expression is criminalized, the internet has become one of the last remaining spaces for dissent—but even that space is increasingly under siege. We demand an end to censorship, online surveillance, and digital repression that targets activists, freethinkers, journalists, and ordinary citizens. Laws like the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) are routinely weaponized to suppress criticism of religion, the military, and the state under vague charges of immorality, blasphemy, or national interest. Social media platforms and entire websites are blocked without transparency or due process, and popular platforms like X (formerly Twitter) are banned to silence dissenting voices. Independent YouTube channels, especially those advocating for human rights, secularism, and political reform, are frequently taken down or targeted by coordinated state efforts.
We call for the repeal of PECA and all legislation that criminalizes online speech, the protection of digital privacy, and an end to mass surveillance and harassment of dissenters. Online blasphemy accusations, which often lead to offline violence, must be decriminalized, and access to information—particularly on taboo subjects—must be preserved. Freedom of speech must extend to the digital world, where communities are built, resistance takes shape, and the future of expression is being fought for every day.
End Patriarchal Violence. Uphold Gender and Sexual Freedom
We demand an end to the systemic and patriarchal violence embedded in Pakistan’s laws, institutions, and cultural norms. From discriminatory legislation to everyday abuse, women and LGBTQIA+ individuals are denied safety, dignity, and justice at every level of society. Gender-based oppression is not incidental—it is structurally enforced, normalized by tradition, and often upheld by the state itself.
Marital rape must be criminalized, and all forms of gender-based violence—whether in the home, the workplace, or on the streets—must be treated as serious violations of human rights. The legal system must protect, not punish, those who challenge gender norms or seek freedom in their personal lives.
We reject the false narrative that gender and sexual rights are “foreign” values. Bodily autonomy, sexual orientation, and gender identity are not Western imports—they are universal rights. The fight for equality must include full recognition and protection of women, trans people, and queer communities in every domain: at home, in schools, in public spaces, and before the law.
End Military Domination. Break the Alliance of Authoritarianism and Extremism
Any meaningful reform in Pakistan must confront the military’s long-standing interference in civilian governance. For decades, the military establishment has shaped national identity, silenced dissent, and propped up religious extremism to serve its political interests. It has backed blasphemy laws, empowered clerics, suppressed critical media, and undermined democratic institutions to maintain its unchecked authority. This fusion of militarism and religious nationalism fuels the persecution of minorities, ex-Muslims, and dissenters. We demand a full restoration of civilian supremacy, an end to military-backed censorship, and a democracy where power flows from the people — not from generals or mullahs.
We believe that freedom cannot exist under authoritarian rule. We demand civilian supremacy over the military, an independent judiciary, and the dismantling of clerical power over public policy. Without structural reform, no community will ever be truly safe.
Fight Economic Oppression. Defend Workers’ Rights and Dignity
Finally, the oppression faced under blasphemy laws and religious extremism is deeply tied to the economic exploitation and systemic neglect of Pakistan’s working class. The poor are the most vulnerable to false blasphemy accusations, and religious ideology is often used to suppress labor rights and silence calls for economic justice. We demand dignified wages, the right to unionize, workplace safety, and an end to discrimination based on religion, caste, gender, or belief. True justice cannot exist without economic freedom. In a just Pakistan, workers will not be silenced by fear, hunger, or threats cloaked in religious authority. Economic dignity is a human right, and it must be defended alongside freedom of thought and belief.
A Movement for Justice, Secularism, and Human Dignity
Our movement is grounded in the principles of secularism, democracy, human dignity, and equality for all. These are not luxuries. They are the foundations of any society that hopes to call itself just. We speak for those who have been silenced. We fight for a future where no one is punished for what they believe—or don’t believe.
For too long, silence has been survival — and fear has ruled our minds, our laws, and our futures. It is time to break that silence. It is time to demand a Pakistan where no one is killed for a thought, jailed for a question, or cast out for choosing freedom over fear.
Reclaim Pakistan from Fear and Oppression
We call on every citizen, every worker, every student, every voice of conscience: stand with us. Demand the repeal of blasphemy laws. Demand protection and recognition for ex-Muslims and apostates. Demand a democracy that serves the people — not mullahs, not generals, not those who use religion to control and divide.
Raise your voice. Share this message. Organize. Speak up when others are silenced. Together, we can build a Pakistan where dignity, freedom, and justice are not crimes — but rights.