Christian converts can face ostracism, restrictions on their movements including surveillance and house arrest by their family, discrimination, intimidation, violence from family and the Muslim community and vigilante attacks on them and their property. They also face accusations of blasphemy and are particularly at risk if they proselytize or seek to broadcast their faith to strangers to encourage them to convert. If reported to authorities and charges proceed, blasphemy charges carry penalties ranging from fines to maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment or the death penalty.
The available country information indicates that converts facing blasphemy charges face arrest, detention, and lengthy prison sentences upon conviction. There are very strong grounds supported by cogent evidence to suggest the situation has deteriorated for Christian converts who face a real risk of a blasphemy charge being pursued against them.
Internal relocation is not likely to be reasonable for Christian converts who are open about their faith and conversion and can demonstrate a credible blasphemy allegation raised by non-state actors is being actively pursued against them.
The right to conversion is in practice limited to conversion to Islam, for example changing registered religion with The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), who issue identity cards and passports is possible where a person converts to Islam, but not if they convert from Islam to another faith.
