ISLAMABAD, Wednesday, January 28, 2026 (WNP): The religious, diplomatic and policy circles in Pakistan are expressing serious reservations about official participation in the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit 2026, scheduled for February 2–3 in Washington, D.C., citing its controversial track record and perceived ideological bias.

The IRF Summit bills itself as the world’s largest global gathering on religious freedom, drawing representatives from more than 90 countries, along with heads of state, faith leaders, policymakers, and civil society actors. While the platform claims to promote inclusive, faith-based global engagement, critics argue that its recent history reflects a narrowing political orientation that may conflict with Pakistan’s core foreign policy principles.

Expressing anonymity, the participants familiar with past engagements admitted that the summit has consistently amplified narratives closely aligned with U.S. and Israeli strategic priorities, a trend viewed as incompatible with Pakistan’s long-standing and principled positions on issues such as Palestine and the broader global power balance.

They were of the view that visible participation by Pakistan’s religious and political leaderships could blur Islamabad’s diplomatic messaging at a time when clarity and consistency are critical.

They also noted that concerns have also intensified over the forum’s growing anti-China posture. Under the banner of religious freedom, they informed that several organizations active at the IRF Summit have pursued sustained campaigns critical of China, particularly focusing on Xinjiang-related narratives. They said these platforms are often used to seek U.S. political support and funding for initiatives targeting China, an approach seen as fundamentally at odds with Pakistan’s strategic partnership with Beijing.

Through the lens of policy experts, the religious and official representation of Pakistan at such a forum could be interpreted as tacit endorsement of initiatives that challenge China’s sovereignty, potentially undermining mutual trust between Islamabad and Beijing. Such perceptions, they opined, could have negative repercussions for flagship bilateral projects, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and for broader economic and strategic cooperation.

Beyond geopolitical considerations, they hinted that security and intelligence-related concerns have also been flagged as presence at high-profile international summits can facilitate the collection of sensitive information, including organizational profiles, funding sources, and internal networks. The previous delegates to IRF Summit pointed out that formal state participation provides greater access to closed-door meetings and restricted sessions, heightening the risk of data exploitation. Engagements with certain actors linked to foreign government institutions, they added, are often meant to extracting political, institutional, or strategic insights.

Drawing on operational observations from previous interactions, they said while the IRF Summit projects itself as a diverse and representative global forum, it remains heavily influenced by domestic political dynamics within the United States. Recent shifts in Washington’s political environment have, according to these assessments, further intensified ideological alignment efforts through such platforms.

According to some credible sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan has already ensured its position is not absent from international discourse by sharing relevant briefings and referencing China’s official responses through indirect and carefully managed channels. This approach, they said, allows Islamabad to safeguard its national interests without formal association with platforms viewed as politically contentious.

In light of these international factors, the policy advisers recommended that Pakistan refrain from sending any official or high-level representatives to the IRF Summit. If engagement is considered unavoidable, they suggest it be confined strictly to non-official, indirect, and controlled channels, without formal state representation.

They emphasized that these recommendations are made in the broader public interest for protecting Pakistan’s sovereignty, preserving coherence in its foreign policy, and maintaining the strength of its strategic partnership particularly with China.

In an exclusive talk with WNP, Abida Khan, Senior Journalist, Editor-in-Chief (The Diplomat) said platforms like the IRF Summit carry immense global influence and moral weight. She said such a gigantic forum must play a genuinely balanced and impartial role instead of being perceived as a vehicle for advancing the political interests of specific states, particularly the United States and Israel. When religious freedom discourse is selectively framed, it risks losing credibility and undermining the very principles it claims to uphold, she added.

At the same time, Ms Khan said Pakistan cannot afford to disengage from international discourse altogether. “Walking away from global platforms may create a vacuum that others are quick to fill with distorted narratives. Pakistan has a strong case to present at the global stage, its constitutional guarantees for minorities, interfaith harmony initiatives, and sustained efforts to build a peaceful and inclusive society.” These achievements should be highlighted effectively to project Pakistan’s soft image at the comity of nations, he maintained.

Ms Khan was of the opinion that IRF Summit should advocate for policies that are balanced, unbiased, and acceptable to all stakeholders, ensuring that religious freedom is treated as a universal human value rather than a geopolitical tool.

“Only through such an approach can global forums truly contribute to humanizing the world and fostering coexistence among faiths,” she proposed.

Talking to this scribe, Sohail Iqbal Bhatti, Senior Journalist and Anchorperson (GTV News), mentioned that the IRF Summit, by virtue of its scale and international reach, has the potential to shape global thinking on religious freedom. However, he emphasised that this potential is diluted when the platform appears tilted toward specific political agendas. Religious freedom should never be instrumentalized for strategic gains; instead, it should remain a unifying and human-centered principle, he added.

Mr Bhatti said Pakistan, despite legitimate concerns about bias, should remain visible in international conversations as absence from such forums often translates into silence on Pakistan’s narrative, allowing others to define the country through their own lenses.

He made it clear that Pakistan has tangible achievements to showcase from interfaith dialogue mechanisms to legal and social protections for minorities and these must be communicated effectively at the global level to reinforce a positive and progressive image.

Moving forward, the international community, including forums like the IRF, must work toward developing balanced, unbiased, and universally acceptable policies that rise above power politics, he said adding that only then can these platforms genuinely contribute to a more humane world order, based on mutual respect, dignity, and peaceful coexistence among all faiths.