Pakistani-American physician elected chair of US religious freedom commission

Pakistani-American physician and human rights advocate Dr Asif Mahmood has been unanimously elected chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), becoming the first South Asian to lead the bipartisan federal body that advises the US government on international religious freedom.

USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan commission established by the US Congress to monitor religious freedom worldwide and make policy recommendations to the US president, the secretary of state and Congress.

According to USCIRF, Mahmood is a practising pulmonologist, human rights advocate and philanthropist.

The commission said his humanitarian work has supported people in conflict-affected regions, including Kashmir, Ethiopia’s Tigray region and other crisis zones.

In a statement issued after his election, Mahmood said growing threats to religious freedom underscored the importance of the commission’s work.

“Threats to international religious freedom are occurring every day, making USCIRF’s mandate to analyse and recommend policy solutions to the US government key to advancing religious freedom abroad,” he said.

In a separate post on X, Mahmood described his appointment as “a remarkable journey” from “a small rural village in Pakistan” to leading one of the world’s leading bodies dedicated to protecting freedom of religion or belief.

“My commitment is to advocate for the rights of every person: those of all faiths and those who choose no faith at all,” he said, adding that he hoped to promote mutual respect, human dignity, and peaceful coexistence.

While Mahmood would serve as chair for the 2026-27 term, it merits a mention that he was first appointed to USCIRF in 2024 by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and was reappointed for a second term in 2026.

He previously served as the commission’s vice chair and has lived in California since 1999. He also serves on the Medical Board of California, where USCIRF said he advocates for patients’ rights and broader access to healthcare.

Originally from Kharian in Pakistan’s Punjab province, Mahmood studied medicine at Sindh Medical College before moving to the US for postgraduate medical training in Kentucky and New York.

He later entered politics, contesting California’s insurance commissioner election in 2018 and running as the Democratic Party’s candidate for California’s 40th Congressional District in 2022.