Human Rights Commission of Pakistan

HRCP mourns the untimely passing of journalist Rana Abrar Khalid, who was on the frontline in protecting citizens' rights and exposing corruption among the rich and powerful. He sustained undue pressure under different governments but remained truthful to his profession. Our deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

Earlier, we kicked off a national training workshop series on human rights practice. Our first workshop in Islamabad brought together young human rights defenders, including practitioners from the city's national human rights institutions. From unpacking constitutional guarantees to navigating international frameworks and learning to document rights violations, the workshop gave our participants a chance to connect, collaborate and build the networks needed to strengthen human rights advocacy nationwide. @CanHCPakistan

HRCP expresses grave concern over the alleged illegal detention and reported abduction of former MNA @Aliwazirna50 in Sukkur. Reports indicate that plainclothes law enforcement personnel forcibly abducted Mr Wazir shortly after his release on bail on 16 March. Two days later, his whereabouts remain unknown, raising serious fears for his life and health. We urge the authorities to produce Mr Wazir before a court immediately and to ensure his safety and hold those responsible accountable under the law.

HRCP welcomes the release, earlier today, of former MNA @Aliwazirna50, following the ruling of the Sindh High Court declaring his continued detention unlawful. Mr Wazir's prolonged incarceration despite repeated court orders had raised serious concerns about due process and personal liberty. HRCP hopes that this marks the end of a troubling cycle of arrests dating back to December 2020 and spanning four different jurisdictions. We urge the authorities to respect the court's decision, reiterating that such arbitrary and prolonged detentions serve neither the interests of the state nor society.

HRCP is concerned by the arrest of at least five leaders of the Awami Action Committee in Gilgit. Reports of continuing raids to detain other leaders, following a meeting in Gilgit and ahead of a planned public outreach visit to Skardu, raise serious questions about restrictions on peaceful political activity. The authorities must ensure due process and refrain from curbing citizens’ rights to organise and engage in lawful public dialogue.

HRCP is alarmed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA)'s recent attempt to evict working-class families living in Rimsha and Akram Gill Colonies in Sector H9, Islamabad. These neighbourhoods have long been home to approximately 25,000 people, primarily Christians who were relocated here by the CDA in the early 2010s, following false blasphemy allegations against 14-year-old Rimsha Masih and the ensuing risk to these communities. Issuing eviction notices now, despite a 2015 Supreme Court stay order protecting katchi abadis, is both unjust and unlawful. We call urgently on the prime minister @CMShehbaz and the federal ministers for human rights @AzamNazeerTarar, interior @MohsinnaqviC42 and religious affairs and interfaith harmony @SardarMYousafPK to take notice of these imminent evictions. The @CDAthecapital must halt all eviction plans until guaranteed resettlement is ensured in line with national law and international human rights obligations.

جہد حق کا مارچ کا شمارہ شائع ہو چکا ہے۔ اس ماہ کے ایچ آر سی پی کے نیوز لیٹر میں ہم آپ کے لیے توجہ طلب انسانی حقوق کے مسائل، فیلڈ رپورٹس، ایڈووکیسی کی سرگرمیوں اور زمینی حقائق سے جڑی آوازوں سے متعلق تازہ ترین خبریں لے کر آئے ہیں۔ اس شمارے میں شامل ہیں: •پنجاب میں سی سی ڈی کا کردار: ایک ماہ میں 924 افراد پولیس مقابلوں میں جاں بحق •پنجابی داناؤں کی معدوم ہوتی آوازیں: شہری پنجاب میں پنجابی زبان اور ثقافت زوال پزیر ہے •گلگت کی بیٹی کی للکار اور لرزتا ہوا نظام •جہنم کے مکین: ریاست سے لے کرخاندان تک سب ہی فرد کی تعمیر کی بجائے تخریب کا باعث بن رہے ہیں •مہاجر بچوں کے تحفظ کا مطالبہ tinyurl.com/38xd67sn

On International Women's Day this year, we spotlight inspiring and brave WHRD. From Asia, we highlight Imaan Zainab Mazari, a WHRD and lawyer in Pakistan currently facing judicial harassment and detention for speaking out against human rights violations. 🔗 zurl.co/wxXKv #IWD26 #IWD

'Give to gain', this year’s theme for International Women's Day, is a reminder that change begins with action. At HRCP, we continue to give prospective human rights defenders the tools and knowledge they need to monitor, document and lobby. Listen to what some of them have to say. #IWD2026 #GiveToGain @CanHCPakistan

HRCP demands the immediate release of @Aurat_marchisb organisers and participants, who were arrested earlier today by the Islamabad police. Marking International Women's Day is the legitimate right of all Pakistani women and must be respected by the authorities. Such oppressive measures in the name of maintaining law and order are highly deplorable.

Our report calls for equitable and participatory urban water governance—one that respects water and sanitation as fundamental human rights. This means: 💧Legislating on the human right to water and sanitation to align national law with international commitments. 💧Prioritizing informal and low-income settlements by ensuring that services are not tied to land ownership. 💧Guaranteeing inclusive, non-discriminatory sanitation with gender-inclusive, fully accessible public toilets and enforceable protections for transgender persons and persons with disabilities. 💧Introducing water metering to link usage with cost and curb wastage. 💧Protecting sanitation workers’ safety and dignity by ending hazardous manual sewer entry and enforcing strict occupational health and safety standards. 💧Establishing community-based complaint mechanisms to resolve local water and sanitation issues quickly and collaboratively. 💧Institutionalizing climate preparedness through early-warning systems and contingency planning. 💧Moving toward water-sensitive urbanism by replacing extractive, volume-based models with sustainable, ecologically grounded water governance.

Lahore is bursting at the seams. 13 million people. Outmoded water systems. Broken drainage. Flooding every monsoon. Yet access to safe water and sanitation is far from equal. Low-income neighbourhoods, informal settlements, women, trans persons, children, and people living with disabilities bear the brunt of this neglect. Researched by public policy specialist Dr Imdad Hussain, our latest fact-finding study examines how bureaucratic inefficiencies, outdated policies and the lack of citizens’ participation have compounded these problems. Meanwhile, the escalating climate crisis and uncoordinated urban planning continue to worsen access, making safe water and sanitation a luxury for some … rather than a right for all. Read the complete report here: tinyurl.com/3t3x4576 #righttowater #righttosanitation #environmentaljustice @EUPakistan

HRCP is gravely concerned by the forced eviction of long-settled families in Umerkot district. The reported conduct of the police, including violence against women, children and the elderly, reflects entrenched structural deficiencies, a politicised command, weak civilian oversight and impunity for excesses. Suspension and inquiry are insufficient. Instead, the Sindh government must institute comprehensive police reforms by setting up independent complaints authorities for such cases, transparent operational protocols for evictions, mandatory human rights training, and insulation from elite capture. The police must protect vulnerable citizens, not function as an instrument for powerful interests.

'خاموشی سے بنائے گئے قوانین جمہوریت کی روح کے خلاف ہیں۔' پیکا کے دس سال ۔ اوراس بارے میں کوئی سنجیدہ بحث ہی نہیں کہ ہم دراصل اپنے ڈیجیٹل مستقبل کو کیسا دیکھنا چاہتے ہیں۔ آئینی وکیل اسد جمال @LegalPolitical جو پاکستانی عدالتوں میں ڈیجیٹل سنسرشپ کے مقدمات کو چیلنج کرتے رہے ہیں، بتاتے ہیں کہ یہ کیوں اہم ہے۔ پاکستانی پارلیمنٹ نے پیکا کومنظور کیا اور اس میں کئی مرتبہ ترامیم کیں ، لیکن ایسی کسی بھی عوامی بحث کے بغیر جو کہ قوانین کو جائز اور با معنی بناتی ہیں۔ محض پارلیمنٹ کا کوئی قانون منظور کر لینا یہ ثابت نہیں کرتا کہ وہ قانون جمہوری نوعیت کا بھی ہو۔ انہوں نے واضح کیا کہ ، 'حقیقی جمہوریت با معنی عوامی بحث کے بغیر ممکن نہیں۔ کسی بھی قانون کی رسمی منظوری سے یہ نہیں سمجھا جا سکتا کہ ریاست جو بھی فیصلہ لیتی ہے وہ شہریوں لیے اچھا ہے'۔ سال 2016 میں منظور کیے گئے پیکا قانون میں سول سوسائٹی کی رائے کو نظرانداز کیا گیا۔ 25-2024 میں بغیر کسی بحث کے ترامیم نافذ کردی گئیں۔ مفروضہ؟ ریاست ہمیشہ ہماری بہتری چاہتی ہے۔ لیکن وہ قوانین جو اس بات کو کنٹرول کرتے ہیں کہ ہم آن لائن کیا کہہ سکتے ہیں ، کیا شیئرکرسکتے ہیں اور کیا پڑھ سکتے ہیں ، ہم سبھی کو متاثر کرتے ہیں۔ ہم سمجھتے ہیں کہ قوانین کے متن میں شہریوں کی رائے انتہائی اہم ہے۔ #PECA10Years #DigitalRights #FreeSpeechPakistan #KnowYourRights

'Laws made in silence aren't democracy.' Ten years of PECA. Zero real debate about what we actually want our digital future to look like. Constitutional lawyer Asad Jamal @LegalPolitical, who has challenged digital censorship cases in Pakistani courts, breaks down why this matters: Pakistan's parliament has passed and amended PECA multiple times without the kind of public discussion that makes laws legitimate. 'The mere fact that a parliament enacts a law does not mean that it is democratic in nature, in substance,' he explains. Real democracy requires actual debate—not just rubber-stamping whatever the state decides is good for us. In 2016, civil society feedback was ignored. In 2024/25, amendments were bulldozed through with zero discussion. The assumption? That the state always knows best. But laws that control what we can say, share, and read online affect all of us. We deserve a say in how they're written. #PECA10Years #DigitalRights #FreeSpeechPakistan #KnowYourRights

CPJ and rights groups, including HRCP, urge Pakistan PM to address worsening press freedom climate cpj.org/?p=566931 via @CPJAsia

وہ واحد پکاچو جو اپنے ہی ٹرینر کو چونکا دیتا ہے۔وہی جو آپ ہی کو پوکے بال میں قید کر دیتا ہے۔ وہ جو کبھی ارتقاء نہیں پاتا، مگر کسی نہ کسی طرح ایک حکومت، دو حکومتوں، تین حکومتوں میں اپنی جگہ قائم رہتا ہے۔ @Shehzad89 پاکستان کے سب سے وفادار پکاچو کا جائزہ لیتے ہیں— وہ جو پوکے بال پر نہیں بلکہ لوگوں کو اُس میں قید کرنے پر یقین رکھتا ہے۔

The only Pikachu that shocks its own trainer. The only one that puts YOU in the ball. The only one that never evolves but somehow stays consistent—across one government, two governments, three governments. Comedian and podcaster @Shehzad89 Ghias reviews Pakistan's most loyal Pikachu. The one that doesn't believe in Pokéballs—only in putting people in them. #10yearsofPECA #digitalrights #10yearsofsilence