Beneath this polished diplomatic facade lies a far darker reality of sectarian violence and insecurity faced by Shias across Pakistan. In the last four years alone, attacks targeting Shias reportedly caused over 140 deaths and nearly 400 injuries.

If there is one country that consistently presents two contrasting faces to the world, many would argue that Pakistan fits that description well. Its political and diplomatic history is often marked by contradictions. On one hand, Pakistan advocates for civilian rights during military conflicts while itself being accused of causing civilian suffering in Afghanistan. It speaks against terrorism internationally, yet has long faced allegations of harbouring and nurturing terror networks directed against its neighbours. It lectures others on democratic rights and governance while paying little attention to the grievances of its own citizens. It raises slogans of human rights while the people of PoJK, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Baluchistan continue to voice concerns over political suppression and denial of basic freedoms. It claims to stand for minority rights, tolerance, and secular values, even as sectarian violence and religious intolerance continue to plague its own society. Pakistan portrays itself as a peacemaker, yet many view it as having fuelled instability and unrest in Kashmir for decades. It advocates civilian supremacy, although its political landscape has historically remained heavily influenced by the military establishment.
The latest addition to this perceived hypocrisy is the grand state reception accorded to the Ismaili Shia Muslim spiritual leader, Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, during his ongoing seven-day official visit to Pakistan at the invitation of the government. He was received by the Pakistani President and senior officials with a red carpet welcome and a ceremonial guard of honour at Aiwan-e-Sadr/ President House. While the visit was projected diplomatically as a gesture of respect and inclusivity, it has simultaneously triggered widespread debate among political commentators and observers. Critics argue that the optics sharply contrast with the ground realities faced by Shia communities across Pakistan, where sectarian violence, targeted killings, and insecurity have remained persistent concerns for years. Many therefore see this lavish reception as another example of Pakistan’s contradictory posture: honouring a global Shia leader with extraordinary state protocol while failing to adequately protect many Shia citizens and communities within its own borders.
Prince Rahim Aga Khan V is the spiritual leader of the Ismaili Shia Muslim community, whose followers are spread across Pakistan, particularly in regions such as Chitral, Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan, and major urban centres. The Ismaili population in Pakistan is estimated at around 500,000, while the country’s overall Shia population is believed to range between 40 to 50 million. Despite their significant presence and contributions to Pakistani society, Shia communities, including Ismailis, have repeatedly faced sectarian violence, targeted attacks, and discrimination over the years. Ever since its creation, Pakistan has faced criticism for the treatment of its minorities. Shias, despite constituting nearly 20 to 30 percent of the population and contributing significantly to the military, education, sports, and arts, have often faced a fate similar to other minorities such as Sikhs, Hindus, Christians, and Ahmadis. The harshest reality of anti-Shia violence is visible in Parachinar, where killings and harassment continue under the watch of the administration and security forces with little effective intervention. Incidents such as the killing of 40 Shia pilgrims in Kurram in 2024, 43 Ismaili Shias in Karachi in 2015, and attacks in Kohistan and Balochistan stand as grim reminders of the persistent sectarian violence targeting Shias in Pakistan. Critics argue that the repeated lack of accountability creates the perception of official indifference. More recently, a deadly attack inside a mosque in Islamabad that reportedly killed over 30 Shia worshippers shocked many across the world. The visuals of blood-soaked carpets, lifeless bodies, and grieving mourners were horrific, yet little public clarity regarding justice or investigation emerged afterward, at least as known so far.
I myself have witnessed anti-Shia hate speech circulating widely across Pakistani social media spaces. On digital platforms as well as in sections of public discourse, hostility against Shias has increasingly become normalised. Shias are often labelled as heretics or apostates and subjected to abuse by extremist clerics and radical groups. Sectarian rhetoric is circulated openly online, fuelling intolerance, incitement, and deeper societal divisions. Concerns have also emerged regarding institutional discrimination. Educational curriculum reforms and controversial legislative proposals have periodically reflected rigid sectarian interpretations of Islamic history, leaving Shia communities apprehensive about the erosion of their religious freedoms and identity within the national framework. I myself came across content shared by Pakistani Shias highlighting subtle yet telling forms of sectarian bias in educational spaces. In one such instance, a teacher allegedly replaced the Shia expression “Imam Ali Alaihissalam” with the Sunni usage “Razi Allahu Anhu” in a student’s work. While the incident was later presented humorously online, it still reflected how deeply sectarian differences can permeate even ordinary classroom environments. Though such acts may appear minor in isolation, they point toward a broader atmosphere where sectarian sensitivities and identity-based distinctions continue to persist within society.
Who can forget President General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and the so-called “Islamization” policies of the 1980s? His regime institutionalized Sunni-centric laws in Pakistan, deepening sectarian fault lines and creating widespread insecurity among the Shia minority. By enforcing state-backed interpretations of Sharia and allowing the rise of hardline sectarian outfits such as Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, the regime laid the foundation for decades of sectarian violence and mistrust.
The scars of the 1988 Gilgit massacre remain alive even today. Hundreds of Shias were killed, Shia women were raped, villages were burned, properties worth crores were destroyed, and entire communities were left traumatized. The violence unfolded under the watch of the Zia-ul-Haq regime, raising serious questions about the state’s role and failure to protect its citizens.
In response to the riots, the Pakistan Army under President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq allegedly led and facilitated armed groups of local Sunni tribesmen into Gilgit and adjoining areas in order to suppress the revolt.
Even during recent Shia protests held in solidarity with Iran, reports of a harsh state crackdown emerged, with clashes and police action reportedly leading to the deaths of around 30 Shias, further intensifying concerns over sectarian tensions and the treatment of Shia communities in Pakistan.
The contradiction, therefore, is impossible to overlook. On one hand, Pakistan is extending ceremonial honours and diplomatic warmth to Prince Rahim Aga Khan in an attempt to project itself as a tolerant and inclusive Islamic republic. On the other hand, its own Shia citizens continue to endure sectarian killings, hate campaigns, social exclusion and recurring acts of violence with little evidence of lasting structural protection. This duality exposes a deeper duplicity within the Pakistani state, showcasing symbolic acceptance of an internationally respected Shia leader for global optics, while failing to address the systematic persecution and insecurity faced by ordinary Shias across the country. Until this contradiction is confronted honestly, such grand welcomes will continue to be viewed by many not as genuine gestures of pluralism, but as carefully managed spectacles masking an uncomfortable sectarian reality.

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