🔴 Freedom of expression, rule of law under stress: HRCP launches 2025 report 4 May 2026, Islamabad. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)’s annual report, State of Human Rights in 2025, documents a year marked by a severe contraction of civic space, the erosion of judicial independence, and deepening insecurity. The report observes with alarm that the right to freedom of expression—particularly to question authority and demand accountability—was deeply suppressed in 2025, with far-reaching consequences for the rule of law and the protection of fundamental freedoms. Worryingly, legal and institutional mechanisms were increasingly used to curb dissent. Amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, alongside the use of sedition and anti-terrorism laws, led to the widespread targeting of journalists, political workers, activists, and lawyers. Reports of intimidation, enforced disappearances, and restrictions on movement contributed to a climate of fear and self-censorship, limiting public discourse and obscuring human rights violations. Amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 at the federal and Balochistan levels, allowing law enforcement agencies and even the armed forces to detain any person for up to three months without charge or judicial oversight, expanded the scope for undermining fundamental rights of liberty, due process, and protection from arbitrary detention. In particular, the report highlights a marked deterioration in judicial independence, particularly following the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which reconfigured judicial appointments and expanded executive influence. Key court decisions during the year further narrowed democratic space, raising serious concerns about due process and the separation of powers through judgements that enabled the military trials of civilians and effectively delegitimised the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) by denying the party the reserved seats it had been granted in 2024. Security challenges compounded rights violations. Militancy and counterterrorism operations disproportionately affected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, resulting in significant civilian and law enforcement casualties. Enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and collective punishments persisted, while vulnerable groups—including women, children, religious minorities, and transgender persons—continued to face violence and discrimination without adequate redress. Miners and sanitation workers in particular remained vulnerable to accidents with little reported progress in improving their safety. While climate-related disasters, particularly in Gilgit-Baltistan, caused multiple deaths and destroyed infrastructure, the government’s response remained reactive rather than long-term. The report notes several positive developments. The passage of the National Commission for Minorities Act represents a long-awaited step toward institutional protection for religious minorities. The Child Marriage Restraint Acts for Islamabad Capital Territory and Balochistan marked progress in safeguarding children’s rights, while the higher courts issued important judgments advancing women’s rights in areas such as inheritance and marriage. Targeted welfare initiatives and institutional reforms at provincial levels also offered relief, but incrementally. Chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt, former chairperson Hina Jilani, co-chair @MunizaeJahangir, vice-chair Nasreen Azhar and secretary-general Harris Khalique presented the report’s findings earlier today and took questions from the press. Farah Zia Director The report can be accessed here: tinyurl.com/yewzk8tu

HRCP is deeply concerned by reports of the forcible takeover of Ewing Hall, a building of historical, educational, and cultural significance in Lahore long associated with @FCCollege. The college authorities allege that they were issued an abrupt deadline by the Punjab government to vacate the premises, without meaningful consultation or adequate opportunity to safeguard historical materials. This raises serious questions about transparency, due process, and the stewardship of shared heritage. Any decision affecting sites of such significance must not be taken unilaterally or under conditions that create the risk of irreversible loss. Given concerns that the building may be altered or demolished, the physical integrity of Ewing Hall must be protected at all costs.

HRCP is deeply concerned by the escalating confrontation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the loss of life among both protesters and law enforcement personnel. We urge an immediate de-escalation of tensions and an impartial investigation into all deaths and injuries. The state must remember that proscribing popular movements invariably risks narrowing democratic space. Demands for constitutional change should be pursued through peaceful, representative and democratic processes rather than confrontation and violence.

جہدِ حق کا جون کا شمارہ شائع ہو چکا ہے۔ اس ماہ کے ایچ آر سی پی کے نیوز لیٹر میں ہم آپ کے لیے توجہ طلب انسانی حقوق کے مسائل، فیلڈ رپورٹس، ایڈووکیسی کی سرگرمیوں اور زمینی حقائق سے جڑی آوازوں سے متعلق تازہ ترین خبریں لے کر آئے ہیں۔ اس شمارے میں شامل ہیں: 🟢 2025 کے دوران پاکستان میں انسانی حقوق کی صورت حال؛ اظہارِ رائے کی آزادی زیر عتاب رہی 🟢 نگرانی کی زد میں، نفرت کے نشانے پر؛ پاکستان اور بھارت کےنوجوان شناخت اور نفرت انگیزی کے بیچ اپنی راہیں کیسے تلاش کر رہے ہیں 🟢 عام انسان — جدید دور کے عام شہری، جدید دور کے کسان، اور جدید دور کے "شودر" 🟢 تنازعات میں جنسی تشدد کے واقعات میں دوگنا اضافہ 🟢 پاکستان میں موسمیاتی تبدیلی؛ قیمت کون ادا کرتا ہے؟ شمارہ یہاں پڑھیں 👇 tinyurl.com/2a99shju

HRCP is deeply concerned by the AJK government's decision to proscribe the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) under anti-terrorism legislation ahead of its planned protest on 9 June. The use of counterterrorism laws against a group that has been mobilising around political and socioeconomic demands, and had called for a public protest, raises serious concerns about the shrinking space for peaceful assembly and dissent in this region. At a time when elections are approaching in July, it is particularly important that fundamental freedoms, including the rights to expression, association and peaceful assembly, are fully protected.

Our Complaints Cell is here to help survivors of rights violations, including: ✅Violence or discrimination against women, transgender persons, children, religious minorities, refugees and workers ✅Enforced disappearance ✅Custodial torture Visit our offices Monday – Thursday 10 AM to 4 PM Or call your nearest HRCP help desk Monday – Friday 9 AM to 5 PM Lahore — 0333 200 6800 Islamabad — 0333 569 4773 Karachi — 0315 111 6287 Quetta — 0306 294 6125 Peshawar — 0318 950 0640 Hyderabad — 0310 339 2222 Multan — 0331 665 5529 Gilgit — 0346 647 7016 Turbat — 0323 234 2406 Or email us at complaints@hrcp-web.org

One of the first things that children learn is that the sky is ‘blue’. Except when it isn’t. Which is much of the time across urban Pakistan, where industrial and vehicular pollution leaves skies white and washed out. A visible sign that the air we breathe is harming our health, our livelihoods and our children’s future. This World Environment Day, let us not forget that the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a constitutional right, not a luxury. @EUPakistan

APPLY NOW: HRCP seeks expressions of interest from qualified individuals or firms/organisations to conduct an EU-funded study examining the legal, institutional, and operational requirements of establishing a national preventive mechanism (NPM) under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) in the event of Pakistan’s accession. Drawing on desk-based legal analysis, comparative institutional research, and online interviews with key stakeholders, the report is designed to (a) assess whether Pakistan should designate the National Commission for Human Rights as its NPM (with or without reforms) or establish an independent NPM, and (b) make clear recommendations on the most viable institutional path forward. See details: hrcp-web.org/hrcpweb/other-o…

HRCP is gravely alarmed by the escalating insecurity across Balochistan, where civilians, workers, passengers, and law enforcement personnel are increasingly vulnerable to violence, abduction, and attacks on public infrastructure. Today’s bombing of a passenger train in Quetta, with multiple casualties and injuries reported, including women and children, marks a deeply disturbing acceleration in attacks on civilians in the province. Equally troubling are reports of repeated incidents in Chagai at the Reko Diq site and in Ziarat, where armed groups have allegedly abducted at least 21 civilians, including one police officer, in the last week, and torched vehicles with apparent impunity. This follows similar attacks in Noshki and Kalat earlier in May where five workers and five police personnel, respectively, were abducted by armed men. These incidents point to a dangerous erosion of the state’s writ across large parts of the province. HRCP reiterates that it is unacceptable for civilians and non-combatants to be used as bargaining tools in situations of conflict and insecurity. We strongly urge the federal and provincial governments to prioritise civilian protection and ensure accountability for rights abuses by all actors.

HRCP demands that the federal government and provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ensure the recovery of PTM activist Fareedullah Afridi, who went missing in Peshawar four days ago. Mr Afridi joins Hanif Pashteen and Noorullah Tareen, whose whereabouts remain unknown since November 2025. All three activists should be produced in a court of law immediately. Arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances are both illegal and inhuman and must end.

HRCP strongly condemns the reported interception of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud flotilla by Israeli forces in international waters and detention of Pakistani humanitarian volunteer Saad Edhi alongside other international activists. Such actions constitute a serious violation of international law and humanitarian principles. Reports of the mistreatment of those aboard the flotilla are especially alarming and demand urgent international scrutiny. We urge the Pakistan government to act immediately to secure the safe release of all Pakistani nationals aboard the flotilla and publicly clarify the measures being pursued in response to this incident.

'We have become an anti-poor state, where the rich live and the poor are pushed away,' says HRCP secretary-general Harris Khalique, on the demolition of historic villages and residential settlements that authorities consider 'illegal' as Islamabad's 'anti-encroachment' drive continues. اسلام آباد کے پرانے دیہات کی تاحال جاری مسماری کس حد تک بجا p.dw.com/p/5DlZ2?at_medium=S…

HRCP is deeply alarmed by the sharp deterioration in security across Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where citizens are increasingly caught between enforced disappearances, targeted killings, and militant attacks. In Balochistan, the alleged abduction of the vice-chancellor, pro-vice chancellor, and two other Gwadar University employees in Mastung, while travelling from Gwadar to Quetta, raises serious questions about the state’s ability to secure major highways and protect civilians. HRCP is equally disturbed by the killing of Professor Ghamkhwar Hayat in Noshki earlier today and reminds the government that when teachers and academics are abducted or shot dead, the consequences extend far beyond individual tragedies. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, deadly attacks in Bannu, Bajaur, and Lakki Marwat, including the bombing of a crowded market in Sarai Naurang, point to a worsening pattern of militant violence that continues to take lives indiscriminately, including those of civilians, police officers and security personnel. We urge the state to move beyond statements of condemnation and demonstrate that human life and public spaces can still be protected. The recovery of the missing university officials, credible investigations into all such attacks, and accountability for perpetrators are immediate and necessary first steps.

HRCP is deeply alarmed by the continued captivity of Pakistani crew members aboard the MT Honour 25 by Somali pirates and demands urgent action by the Pakistan government and all relevant international authorities. Reports that hostages are surviving on contaminated water and minimal food while their families endure severe psychological distress are unacceptable. We stand in solidarity with the families in Karachi protesting for the safe return of their loved ones and demand that the protection of Pakistani seafarers and safeguarding their dignity and safety must remain an urgent national priority.

In a country where official numbers are often incomplete or unavailable, how does HRCP document human rights violations across Pakistan? @farahziaa explains the networks, field reporting, verification methods, and challenges behind one of Pakistan’s most important human rights reports. #RightsWatch @xarijalil @ehmadliveson @HRCP87

'While there has been forward movement in the shape of progressive laws and the establishment of institutions, we have not seen any decrease in rights violations on the ground', says director @farahziaa in an interview with @voicepkdotnet on HRCP's annual report on the state of human rights in 2025. youtu.be/hyW8omVrUek?si=IvtU…

جہد حق کا مئی کا شمارہ شائع ہو چکا ہے۔ اس ماہ کے ایچ آر سی پی کے نیوز لیٹر میں ہم آپ کے لیے توجہ طلب انسانی حقوق کے مسائل، فیلڈ رپورٹس، ایڈووکیسی کی سرگرمیوں اور زمینی حقائق سے جڑی آوازوں سے متعلق تازہ ترین خبریں لے کر آئے ہیں۔ اس شمارے میں شامل ہیں: •2025 کے دوران پاکستان میں انسانی حقوق کی صورت حال؛ اظہار رائے کی آزادی، قانون کی حکمرانی زیر عتاب رہے •باڑہ میں ڈرون حملوں میں بے گناہ شہری نشانے پر •محنت کی عظمت اور انسانی وقار؛ یوم مئی اور پاکستان کمیشن برائے انسانی حقوق کا کردار •ماورائے عدالت قتل معمول کا درجہ اختیار کرتے جا رہے ہیں ؛ذمہ داران کا محاسبہ کب ہو گا؟ •نوعمری کی شادیاں اور جبری تبدیلی مذہب باعث تشویش ہے شمارہ یہاں پڑھیں 👇 tinyurl.com/9ynnavf8

HRCP is alarmed by the arrest of several political workers in Gilgit-Baltistan protesting the continued detention of Ehsan Ali, chairperson of the Awami Action Committee, and the detention of at least two Sindhian National Congress workers, including Rizwan Memon, in Hyderabad. The suppression of peaceful dissent has become a knee-jerk reaction on the part of the state and raises serious concerns about due process and the abuse of public order laws. The authorities must release all those detained for peaceful protest and refrain from criminalising dissent.

HRCP strongly condemns the arrest of several organisers and volunteers of @AuratMarchKHI from outside the Karachi Press Club, where they were scheduled to address a press conference. This incident is not isolated overreach but rather part of a broader and deeply troubling pattern: the systematic denial of public space to citizens seeking to articulate their rights. The rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are constitutionally guaranteed. Preventing citizens, particularly women and marginalised groups, from even convening a press conference reflects an increasingly repressive approach to governance, where dissent is treated as a threat rather than a democratic necessity.