Islamabad, May 4 (IANS) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Monday expressed grave concern over the shrinking of civic space, the erosion of judicial independence, and deepening insecurity across the country over the past one year.

In its latest report, ‘State of Human Rights in 2025′, the HRCP documented that in Pakistan, the right to freedom of expression — particularly to question authority and demand accountability — was significantly suppressed in 2025, with far-reaching consequences for the rule of law and 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,” the report stated.

The HRCP noted that amendments to Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 at the federal and provincial levels, particularly in Balochistan, allowed law enforcement agencies and even the armed forces to detain any person for up to three months without charge or judicial oversight, expanding the scope for arbitrary detention while undermining protections of liberty and due process.

The report highlighted a marked deterioration in judicial independence across Pakistan, particularly following the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which “reconfigured judicial appointments and expanded executive influence”.

It added that key court decisions in 2025 further narrowed democratic space, raising serious concerns about due process and the separation of powers. These included rulings that allowed the military trials of civilians and effectively stripped the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) of the reserved seats it had been granted in 2024.

Highlighting that security challenges compounded human rights violations in Pakistan, the report said that 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,” the HRCP stated.

The rights body stated that climate-related disasters, especially in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan, caused multiple civilian deaths and destroyed infrastructure, while the authorities’ response remained reactive rather than focused on long-term resilience.

–IANS

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