Key facts
- Pakistan’s 2023 census counted 3,300,788 Christians, 1.37% of the population; about three in four live in Punjab.
- Christians are over-represented in low-paid sanitation work, according to Amnesty International and the US State Department.
- The most lasting help builds skills, education and income, delivered through registered, accountable local partners.
- Local NGOs receiving foreign money need a project MoU with the Economic Affairs Division under a 2022 policy.
- US and UK donors usually get tax relief only when giving through a charity registered in their own country.
Many churches, donors and companies outside Pakistan want to support Pakistani Christians but are unsure where to start. Who needs help, and with what? Which organisations can legally receive foreign money? How do you know your gift will be used well?
This guide answers those questions using official data, government rules and reporting from reputable sources. It is written for churches abroad, individual donors, foundations and corporate social responsibility (CSR) teams.
Who are Pakistan’s Christians?
According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the 2023 census counted 3,300,788 Christians out of a total population of 240,458,089, or 1.37%. About 63% live in urban areas. Punjab is home to 2,458,924 Christians, roughly three quarters of the national total. Our article on the Christian population in Pakistan covers the census in more detail.
What challenges do Pakistani Christians face?
The needs are mainly economic and educational, alongside concerns about legal protection that we cover in our guide to minority rights in Pakistan.
Low-paid work. In July 2025, Amnesty International and the Centre for Law and Justice published research on sanitation workers. As reported by Dawn, it found that Christians were disproportionately employed in sanitation posts. It counted nearly 300 government job adverts between 2010 and March 2025 that required or preferred non-Muslim or “lower caste” applicants for this work, and found that almost half the workers studied earned below the monthly minimum wage.
Unfilled job quotas. The US State Department’s 2023 religious freedom report, citing the Center for Social Justice, said that 80% of non-Muslims appointed to posts reserved for minorities worked in low-paid sanitation jobs, and that 30,866 reserved posts were vacant. See our explainer on the 5% minority job quota.
Bonded labour. The same report cites the Bonded Labor Liberation Front’s estimate that nearly 6.7 million people were in debt bondage, mostly at brick kilns, and that most bonded kiln workers were Christians or Hindu Dalits.
These figures point to the same root problem: too few routes into skilled, well-paid work.
Ways to help: from relief to long-term change
Different kinds of support suit different donors. The table below summarises the main options.
| Type of help | Examples | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Education | School fees, scholarships, tutoring, school supplies | Individuals, churches |
| Skills and jobs | Digital skills, vocational training, job placement | Foundations, CSR teams |
| Enterprise | Small business training, mentoring, seed funding | Foundations, impact investors, business people |
| Church partnership | Leadership training, technology, shared projects | Churches abroad |
| Emergency relief | Food, shelter and rebuilding after disasters or attacks | All donors, through established agencies |
| Volunteering | Remote mentoring, teaching, professional advice | Individuals, companies |
Emergency relief matters when crises happen, such as floods or the August 2023 attacks on Christian homes and churches in Jaranwala, but it does not change long-term prospects on its own. The most lasting impact usually comes from investments in education, skills and income that let families support themselves.
The rules on foreign funding in Pakistan
Pakistan regulates foreign money going to its non-profit sector, and donors should make sure their partners follow these rules.
Local NGOs. The Economic Affairs Division’s 2022 policy for local NGOs and non-profits receiving foreign contributions requires a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the EAD for each project. Organisations apply through an online portal at least 60 days before a project starts. They need Pakistani registration, a donor commitment letter, at least a year of experience, active tax filer status, designated bank accounts registered with the EAD and audits by a registered firm.
Diaspora gifts. The same policy exempts individual diaspora gifts for charity up to US$10,000 per transaction and US$120,000 a year, as well as government-chartered universities and short-term emergency work.
Certification. The Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy (PCP) is the certification agency named by the Federal Board of Revenue. It reviews a non-profit’s governance, financial management and programme delivery. PCP certification is a useful signal that a Pakistani organisation has been independently checked.
Tax points for donors in the US and UK
United States. The IRS says contributions to foreign organisations are generally not tax-deductible unless a tax treaty permits it, and Pakistan is not a treaty country. Gifts to a qualified US charity working abroad can be deductible if the US charity has full control and discretion over the funds. Gifts earmarked for a named individual or family are not deductible.
United Kingdom. Gift Aid can only be claimed by organisations that HMRC recognises as a charity or community amateur sports club. UK donors who want Gift Aid therefore give through a UK-registered charity that works with partners in Pakistan.
Donors elsewhere should check their own country’s rules or ask a tax adviser.
What to check before you give
Whoever you give through, a few simple checks protect your gift:
- Registration. Is the organisation registered in Pakistan, and does it hold an EAD MoU for foreign-funded projects? If you give from abroad, is the intermediary registered in your country?
- Accounts. Does it publish audited accounts and annual reports?
- Track record. How long has it worked in the community, and can it show results, not just activities?
- Local leadership. Are Pakistani Christians involved in leading and shaping the work?
- Safeguarding. Does it have policies to protect children and vulnerable adults, and does it respect beneficiaries’ privacy and safety?
- Clear reporting. Will it tell you how funds were used and what changed?
Tips for churches abroad
Church partnerships work best when they are relationships, not only transfers of money. Agree shared goals with a Pakistani partner church or organisation, plan for several years rather than one-off gifts, and visit or meet online regularly. Ask your partners what they need instead of deciding for them, and respect their knowledge of local conditions. Pray together, share stories with permission, and keep any public material free of details that could put people at risk.
Be cautious about appeals that ask for money to be sent to personal accounts, that share identifiable photos of people at risk, or that cannot explain how they comply with Pakistani law.
How you can work with CSIF
CSIF focuses on long-term change for Christians in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. We help pastors use technology through Church Tech Enablement, support women through Christian Women Entrepreneurs, and help young founders through the Future Founders Club and the Youth Startup Fund. We are also planning incubation centers for Christian entrepreneurs.
Churches can partner with congregations here, foundations and CSR teams can fund skills and enterprise programs, and professionals can mentor founders remotely. To explore what fits you, partner with us.
