Freewill

HRCP Annual Report 2025: Freedom of expression, rule of law under severe stress

4 May 2026, Islamabad – The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) today released its annual report, State of Human Rights in 2025, documenting a sharp contraction of civic space, erosion of judicial independence, and deepening insecurity across the country.

According to the report, the right to freedom of expression – particularly the ability to question authority and demand accountability – was systematically suppressed last year, with far-reaching consequences for the rule of law and fundamental freedoms.

Legal and institutional mechanisms were increasingly deployed to curb dissent, the HRCP noted. Amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, alongside the use of sedition and anti-terrorism laws, led to widespread targeting of journalists, political workers, activists, and lawyers. The report cites intimidation, enforced disappearances, and movement restrictions as contributing to a climate of fear and self-censorship.

At both federal and Balochistan levels, amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 now allow law enforcement agencies and even the armed forces to detain any person for up to three months without charge or judicial oversight – a move the HRCP says fundamentally undermines the rights to liberty, due process, and protection from arbitrary detention.

The report flags a marked deterioration in judicial independence, particularly following the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment (correction: the report states 27th Constitutional Amendment), which reconfigured judicial appointments and expanded executive influence. Key court decisions during the year – including enabling military trials of civilians and effectively delegitimising the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) by denying the party reserved seats it had been granted in 2024 – raised serious concerns over due process and separation of powers.

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. Vulnerable groups – women, children, religious minorities, and transgender persons – continued to face violence and discrimination with inadequate redress. Miners and sanitation workers remained vulnerable to accidents, with little reported progress on safety improvements. Climate-related disasters, particularly in Gilgit-Baltistan, caused multiple deaths and destroyed infrastructure, yet the government’s response remained reactive rather than long-term.

The report also notes several positive developments: the passage of the National Commission for Minorities Act, the Child Marriage Restraint Acts for Islamabad Capital Territory and Balochistan, and provincial-level welfare initiatives and institutional reforms. Higher courts issued important judgments advancing women’s rights in inheritance and marriage.

Chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt, former chairperson Hina Jilani, co-chair Munizae Jahangir, vice-chair Nasreen Azhar, and secretary-general Harris Khalique presented the findings at a press conference earlier today.

Freewill

BREAKING: Entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Under Taliban Control, Government Writ Collapsed, Claims NDM Chairman Mohsin Dawar

PESHAWAR — National Democratic Movement (NDM) Chairman Mohsin Dawar alleged on Friday that the entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has fallen under Taliban control, with the provincial government’s writ completely collapsed and terrorists now running the administration across the region.

“The government’s writ has ended. Terrorists are now running the entire province,” Dawar said while addressing a press conference in Peshawar, flanked by party leaders.

The NDM chief further warned that even the provincial capital, Peshawar, is no longer safe, accusing militant groups — primarily the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — of having established their own parallel governance apparatus in large swathes of KP.

The security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has deteriorated sharply over the past year, particularly following the collapse of peace talks between Islamabad and the TTP. Dawar’s claims come amid mounting criticism from both political opposition and civil society that the state has lost control over vast territories along the Pak-Afghan border.

An official response from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and federal authorities is still awaited. However, officials had previously admitted to the presence of armed Taliban in various areas of the province while denying any formal handover of territory to militant groups.

In a 2022 statement to the National Assembly, Dawar had similarly alleged that “many areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were being handed over to the Taliban” — warnings that he now claims have fully materialized.

“This is not a claim — this is a reality,” Dawar asserted, adding that the abduction of a session judge from Dera Ismail Khan and the subsequent payment of a reported Rs 5 crore ransom by the provincial government for his release exemplify the growing influence of militant groups in the region.