HRCP flags shrinking civic space, judicial concerns in annual report

Report highlights use of legal and institutional mechanisms to curb dissent, including cybercrime and anti-terror laws

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) launched its annual report on Monday, noting severe contraction of civic space, the erosion of judicial independence, and deepening insecurity over the past year, while raising concerns over the deep suppression of the right to freedom in the country.

The report titled “State of Human Rights in 2025” was launched in Islamabad, where Chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt, former chairperson Hina Jilani, co-chair Munizae Jahangir, vice-chair Nasreen Azhar and secretary-general Harris Khalique presented the report.

The document observed 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.

🔴 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… pic.twitter.com/CCF9fBke7l

— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) May 4, 2026

It also raised concerns over the increasing use of legal and institutional mechanisms to curb dissent, highlighting amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, alongside the use of sedition and anti-terrorism laws, which 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,” said the report.

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The report also said that the 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.

It particularly highlighted what it called “marked deterioration in judicial independence”, particularly following the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which reconfigured judicial appointments and expanded executive influence.

The HRCP, in its report, said that 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.

While counting security challenges that compounded rights violations, the report said that militancy 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,” it added.

It said that 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.

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However, it also noted several positive developments, including the passage of the National Commission for Minorities Act, which represents a long-awaited step toward institutional protection for religious minorities, while also hailing the Child Marriage Restraint Acts for Islamabad Capital Territory and Balochistan, saying it marked progress in safeguarding children’s rights.

The report also noted higher courts’ important judgments advancing women’s rights in areas such as inheritance and marriage, adding that targeted welfare initiatives and institutional reforms at provincial levels also offered relief, but incrementally.