Hina Jilani receives American Society of International Law award Lahore, 29 July. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is delighted to announce that Hina Jilani has received the prestigious Honorary Member Award for 2020, conferred by the American Society of International Law. Ms Jilani is one of HRCP’s founder members, a former secretary-general,

HRCP warns Punjab assembly of fuelling bigotry Lahore, 24 July. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is appalled at recent developments that are set to further whittle down space for freedom of intellectual thought, enquiry and expression. The most concerning of these is the Punjab Tahafuzz-e-Bunyaad-e-Islam Act 2020, which restricts the publication of

HRCP demands immediate release of Matiullah Jan Lahore, 21 July. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) endorses the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ)’s demand for the federal government to take immediate measures for the safe release of senior journalist Matiullah Jan, who was abducted today outside the college in Islamabad where his

Government response to Covid-19 sloppy HRCP study evaluates and makes recommendations Islamabad, 19 July. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) demands that parliamentary oversight be restored immediately to all decision-making related to the Covid-19 pandemic. The government’s overall response has been marred by inconsistent messaging at the top, which must be rectified by

Waziran’s death warrants effectual investigation Karachi/Lahore, 15 July. Following an independent fact-finding mission, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is gravely alarmed that ignorance among women of their constitutional right to life and security, lack of access to women-centric police and other services, and entrenched practices such as involuntary watta satta [bride exchange] have yielded

JPP, HRCP call on government to criminalise torture Lahore, 25 June: Rafiullah alias Amir, who was beaten and paraded naked in Peshawar two days ago, is not the first victim of police brutality. Unfortunately, this is yet another glimpse of the policing culture in Pakistan that manifests itself in the form of unlawful detention,

HRCP slams extrajudicial murder of rights activist Karachi/Lahore, 19 June. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) condemns the extrajudicial murder of Niaz Hussain Lashari, a 22-year-old labour rights activist in Karachi and a member of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (Arisar). Originally from the town of Dakhan in district Shikarpur, Mr Lashari was arrested

Academic freedom under grave threat Karachi/Lahore, 10 June. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is alarmed by the recurring wave of vicious campaigns against academics. Earlier, Professor Sajid Soomro of Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur was arrested on charges of blasphemy and sedition. When Dr Arfana Mallah, a prominent human rights activist in

Stun batons to enforce Covid SOPs amounts to torture Lahore, 9 June. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is shocked to learn that the district administration and local police in Faisalabad have used stun batons to enforce Covid-19-related standard operating procedures (SOPs). This is in flagrant violation of both Article 14 of the

Demolition of Hindu homes in Bahawalpur illegal, inhumane Lahore, 5 June. Following an independent fact-finding mission, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has found that the local authorities in Yazman (Bahawalpur district) were responsible for demolishing the homes of a Hindu community in Chak 52/DB. While the assistant commissioner of Yazman claims he