Pakistan-origin physician Asif Mahmood elected chair of US commission on religious freedom

Dr Asif Mahmood, a physician of Pakistani origin, has been elected chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), according to a monitored public feed citing Dawn and Reuters.

USCIRF said in a statement on Monday that Mahmood was unanimously chosen to lead the bipartisan federal panel for the 2026-27 term. CeCe Heil was elected vice chair.

Mahmood is a practising pulmonologist, human rights advocate and philanthropist, USCIRF said. The commission described him as someone whose advocacy work and humanitarian efforts have supported people in crisis-hit regions including Kashmir and Tigray, among others. It also noted his experience as a two-term member of the Medical Board of California, where he has focused on patients’ rights and access to medical coverage.

After his election, Mahmood said on the commission’s website that threats to international religious freedom are happening every day, making USCIRF’s role in analysing conditions and advising the US government important for advancing religious freedom abroad.

In a post on X, Mahmood said his path from a rural village in Pakistan to leading one of the world’s prominent bodies on freedom of religion or belief was remarkable. He said he would continue to advocate for the rights of all people, including those of every faith and those with no faith. He added that the goal should be a world where religious freedom, mutual respect, human dignity and peaceful coexistence are protected for everyone.

Mahmood was first appointed to USCIRF in 2024 by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and later reappointed for a second term in 2026. USCIRF said he served as vice chair during his previous term. According to his website, he has lived in California since 1999.

USCIRF is a bipartisan US federal government body that monitors religious freedom worldwide and makes recommendations to the president, the secretary of state and Congress. The commission has recently drawn attention to religious freedom conditions in South Asia, including India and Pakistan. Last month, it urged the US State Department to designate India as a country of particular concern, citing what it called ongoing, systematic and egregious conditions. In 2025, it also said religious freedom in both Pakistan and India had worsened over the previous year and called for sanctions against Pakistani officials and agencies, as well as India’s Research & Analysis Wing.

Mahmood has also been linked to efforts in the United States to build support for jailed former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan, including attendance at seminars, public meetings and fundraisers involving lawmakers and senators. One such event in 2024 was co-hosted by Mahmood for then-US vice president Kamala Harris.

Source: Dawn Home - https://www.dawn.com/news/2017231/pakistan-origin-physician-asif-mahmood-elected-chair-of-us-commission-on-religious-freedom