HRCP council gravely concerned at human rights crisis, calls for urgent measures Lahore, 14 August. On concluding its biannual meeting, the governing council of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed grave concern over the state’s abject failure to protect its most vulnerable citizens. HRCP demands that child protection units be revitalised and law enforcement agencies compound their

HRCP concerned by AJK election violence Lahore, 26 July. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) notes with grave concern the deaths of two PTI workers during the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections held on 25 July. A third PPP worker is also reported to have been killed when PTI workers allegedly fired

HRCP welcomes bill criminalising torture, voices concerns Lahore, 13 July. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) welcomes the passage of the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Bill 2021, presented in the Senate by Senator Sherry Rehman and supported by the minister for human rights, Dr Shireen Mazari. Given that the country

HRCP, JPP call on government to criminalise torture Lahore, 26 June. 14-year old Muhammad Asim and Shahzaib recently lost their lives in police custody along with 17 others as Pakistan fails to criminalise torture and meet its international human rights obligations under the GSP+ status and other international human rights conventions. Pakistan is a

GB status quo continued in 2020 Gilgit, 26 June. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)’s annual report on the state of human rights in 2020 notes with concern that, despite the long-standing demand that Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) be made a constitutional part of Pakistan, the territory remained a de facto administrative unit, its citizens

Karachi, 24 June. At a press conference held earlier today, 16 civil society organisations—including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the Women’s Action Forum, Tehrik-e-Niswan, Aurat March, and the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research, among others—have strongly condemned Prime Minister Imran Khan’s troubling remarks linking women’s attire to the incidence of rape.

NCHR, NCSW remained dysfunctional in 2020 Islamabad, 23 June. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)’s annual report on the state of human rights in 2020 notes with concern that the government’s initial response to the Covid-19 pandemic was marred by a lack of transparency and enforcement: no strict lockdown was imposed when it

Deterioration in press freedom in 2020 Karachi, 23 June. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)’s annual report on the state of human rights in 2020 shows that, by the end of last year, Sindh presented the highest number of Covid-19 infections and deaths in the country, with a death toll of 3,560. While

Vulnerable groups hit hardest by pandemic in 2020 in Punjab Lahore, 23 June. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)’s annual report on the state of human rights in 2020 underscores the extent to which the Covid-19 pandemic exposed the shortcomings of the healthcare sector, both in terms of preparedness and access to facilities.

Promise of mainstreaming former FATA unfulfilled in 2020 Peshawar, 22 June. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)’s annual report on the state of human rights in 2020 details the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), which recorded 58,702 cases and 1,649 deaths. This was aggravated by low testing levels—less