Pakistan can be a dangerous place: Violent extremism runs rampant, and there is little trust that the perpetrators will be held accountable. But for religious minorities in the Sunni-majority country, life is especially precarious. For good reason, the U.S. State Department has repeatedly designated Pakistan as one of the worst places in the world for religious freedom. All groups suffer: Shiites, Hindus, Christians, Ahmadis, nonbelievers—and any Sunnis standing up to the extremists of their own faith.
Pakistanis who protest abuses and advocate for a more tolerant society risk their lives. This year has seen the 10th anniversaries of the assassinations of two such risk-takers: Salman Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti. These grim anniversaries shine a bright light on the question that continues to linger over the future of Pakistan: Will the country continue its slide away from the democratic ideals of its founding in 1947 toward religious intolerance and extremism? The stakes are high for Pakistan’s diverse citizenry of over 200 million people. A Pakistan riled by sectarian hatreds and cowering in fear of religious extremists cannot modernize—and will continue to fall further behind its South Asian neighbors. And the consequences for both the region and the world could be grave if the nuclear-armed nation becomes even more radicalized.
