Pakistan Facing Democratic Backslide, Alarming Decline In Human Rights Amid Militancy Surge: HRCP Report

<p>The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Wednesday released its annual State of Human Rights in Pakistan 2024 report, painting a grim picture of deteriorating civic freedoms, a surge in militancy, and shrinking space for dissent amid democratic erosion. The report, unveiled at an event in Islamabad attended by journalists, human rights defenders, and activists, particularly highlighted a compromised general election in February 2024 marred by allegations of electoral manipulation.</p>
<p>It also noted that the fate of a major political party and the allocation of its reserved seats remained undecided, raising concerns about the legitimacy of the democratic process, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.</p>
<p>HRCP Chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt, speaking at the launch, warned of a &ldquo;multifaceted crisis&rdquo;, stating, &ldquo;Human rights have declined alarmingly, leading to widespread mental distress among the population due to inflation, joblessness, and blatant violations of the law.&rdquo; He underlined the deteriorating law and order situation, pointing out that Pakistan recorded 1,166 terrorist attacks in 2024, which resulted in 2,546 fatalities &mdash; a 66 per cent increase from the previous year.</p>
<p>According to Dawn, he cited the &ldquo;Kurram battlefield&rdquo;, where 250 people were killed, and a deadly November incident that claimed 52 lives. Retaliatory violence reportedly led to 80 more deaths, including 24 cases of mob lynching.</p>
<p>The HRCP expressed concern over the government ceding space to undemocratic forces through &ldquo;hurriedly passed and flawed laws&rdquo;. Co-chairperson Munizae Jahangir criticised legislation that undermined freedom of expression, stating that public officials should not be shielded from legitimate criticism by citizens.</p>
<p>The report also flagged a steep rise in militancy, with over 2,500 fatalities, primarily in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. At least 24 people were killed by vigilante mobs, some linked to blasphemy allegations in Swat and Sargodha.</p>
<h3><strong>379 Enforced Disappearances, 4,864 Staged Police Encounters In Pakistan</strong></h3>
<p>Enforced disappearances remained rampant, with 379 new cases officially reported, as per Dawn. Former HRCP chairperson Hina Jilani stated that such disappearances were unjustifiable &ldquo;even during war or insurgency,&rdquo; adding, &ldquo;No cause can justify violence or acts of terrorism. The human rights community insists that all acts of violence be dealt with in accordance with the law.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The report also documented 4,864 staged police encounters in Sindh and Punjab, with Sindh alone accounting for 3,856 of these, resulting in 341 deaths. HRCP strongly condemned the practice of extrajudicial killings, noting 108 reported encounters nationwide.</p>
<h3><strong>Over 1,200 Imprisoned On Blasphemy Charges In Pakistan, Plight Of Ahmadiyya Community Raised</strong></h3>
<p>Further, over 1,200 individuals were imprisoned on blasphemy charges, many allegedly entrapped by extremist groups through online platforms, Dawn reported. HRCP also flagged the misuse of religious material on WhatsApp leading to blackmail and subsequent arrests by the Federal Investigation Agency.</p>
<p>The plight of the Ahmadiyya community also came under scrutiny, with at least five faith-based killings, 35 incidents targeting community members, and the desecration of over 200 graves and worship sites. The Jamaat-i-Ahmadiyya press section reported that such attacks reflected deepening radicalisation and the state&rsquo;s apparent capitulation to far-right groups.</p>
<h3><strong>Human Rights Commission Of Pakistan Slams X Ban, Flags Violence Against Women And Children</strong></h3>
<p>The report criticised the continued ban on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the use of Section 144 to restrict public assemblies, the ban on the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, and the arrests of journalists covering politically sensitive topics. At least 162 incidents of attacks against journalists were recorded, with six journalists killed in 2024. The HRCP urged the state to uphold its constitutional duty to protect freedom of expression and faith.</p>
<p>The Commission raised alarm over the growing use of the Exit Control List to silence dissenting voices, including political leaders from Gilgit-Baltistan, eight of whom were reportedly listed.</p>
<p>HRCP Secretary-General Harris Khalique noted that 172 work-related deaths were reported among miners, sanitation and polio workers. Violence against women and children persisted, with 405 honour killings &mdash; 24 allegedly involving police personnel &mdash; 4,175 rape cases, 1,641 domestic murders, and 1,630 instances of violence against children, as per Dawn.</p>
<p>The judicial system also faced a critical backlog, with 2.4 million cases pending. Despite 174 death sentences handed down in 2024, no executions were carried out. Prisons continued to be severely overcrowded, operating at an occupancy rate of nearly 228 per cent.</p>
<p>Nasreen Azhar, HRCP Islamabad Vice-chair, closed the event by criticising the 26th Constitutional Amendment for resulting in executive overreach into judicial affairs, Dawn reported.</p>
<p>In a related statement last year, Amnesty International had also described the human rights situation in Pakistan as &ldquo;rampant&rdquo;, highlighting issues such as extrajudicial killings, harassment of activists, mass arrests, and censorship of the media.</p>
<p>Calling for urgent corrective measures, Butt concluded, &ldquo;The country&rsquo;s progress depends on upholding human rights, maintaining the rule of law, and improving the overall law and order situation.&rdquo; The Commission urged immediate accountability for all perpetrators of human rights violations, as per Dawn.</p>