Economic woes and curbs on dissent marred 2020 HRCP launches report on state of human rights Lahore, 3 May. The release of State of Human Rights in 2020, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)’s flagship annual report, needs to jolt both the state and government out of their complacency that a neoliberal, hidebound regime

I. A. Rehman: A titan of human rights Lahore, 12 April. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is devastated by the loss of its honorary spokesperson and former secretary-general I. A. Rehman, who passed away in Lahore. Mr Rehman served as HRCP’s director from 1990 to 2008, before being elected its secretary-general in

RUDP: Boon for business, bane for farmers? Lahore, 7 April. In a fact-finding report released earlier, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed serious concerns as to the environmental as well as human rights implications of the much-vaunted Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project (RUDP). Based on consultations with civil society, including environmental

Kamran Arif: So much more than a rights sloganeer Lahore, 3 April. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) mourns the untimely passing of Kamran Arif, vice-chair of HRCP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on 2 April 2021. A senior lawyer and internationally respected human rights defender, Mr Arif was associated with HRCP for almost 30 years,

Overreach puts Pakistan’s democratic future at stake Lahore, 20 March. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is concerned by the Sindh High Court’s decision to ‘suspend’ two members of the Sindh provincial assembly on the grounds that they failed to supervise a campaign to cull stray dogs. HRCP believes that suspending elected representatives—whose

On 8 March, listen to what women have to say Lahore, 8 March 2021. On International Women’s Day, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) joins the global call to recognise, protect and promote women’s rights. Foremost, we demand an end to gender-based violence in all its iterations—from domestic abuse, rape and so-called ‘honour’

For immediate release ‘Rights have been systematically manipulated’: Second Asma Jahangir Memorial Lecture Islamabad, 16 February. Speaking at the annual Asma Jahangir Memorial Lecture instituted by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Senator Raza Rabbani observed that, although the Constitution protected the right to freedom of association, Pakistan had witnessed a systematic and

Joint statement Rights groups laud Supreme Court judgment protecting mentally ill prisoners Lahore, 12 February. We applaud the Supreme Court’s recent judgment protecting severely mentally ill people in our criminal justice system by precluding them from receiving capital punishment. The apex court declared that death row prisoners should not be executed if they are found to

‘She defined courage’: HRCP pays tribute to Asma Jahangir Lahore, 11 February 2021. At a reference held at the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) earlier today, rights activists gathered to pay tribute to HRCP’s co-founder and iconic human rights defender, Asma Jahangir. Veteran journalist and former secretary-general I. A. Rehman said that Ms

For immediate release I. A. Rehman Research Grant awarded to Farieha Aziz Lahore, 6 January 2021. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is delighted to announce that Farieha Aziz has been awarded the first I. A. Rehman Research Grant. Ms Aziz will be studying the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 and its