A decade of suppression, resistance, and a population betrayed.
This report provides a detailed analysis of the human rights situation across Pakistan's provinces, highlighting enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, religious persecution, suppression of free expression, and other systemic abuses.
The Jaffar Express train, traveling from Quetta to Peshawar with over 400 passengers, was hijacked by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) in the Bolan Pass region. The militants detonated explosives on the tracks, causing derailment, and opened fire, resulting in a hostage crisis. The BLA demanded the release of Baloch political prisoners, threatening to execute hostages. A military operation, "Operation Green Bolan," was launched, leading to the rescue of 354 hostages and the death of 33 militants. However, the attack resulted in at least 64 fatalities, including civilians and security personnel.
Religious persecution, especially against the Ahmadi community, continues unabated, with recent mob violence in Karachi. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, militant bombings and civilian casualties from military operations have deepened the crisis. Punjab has seen a crackdown on free expression and passage of draconian censorship laws. In Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, political repression and enforced disappearances persist.
| Province | Disappearances | Killings | Persecution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balochistan | Thousands (2016–2025) | Hundreds | Activists, Hazaras |
| Sindh | Hundreds | Dozens | Hindus, Ahmadis, MQM |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | ~3,000 (2020) | Hundreds | Pashtuns, Minorities |
| Punjab | Dozens | Dozens | Christians, Ahmadis |
| GB/Kashmir | Unknown | Unknown | Political Activists |
Balochistan saw pervasive enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings throughout 2016–2025. Security agencies abducted Baloch students, activists, and suspected separatists, with hundreds of new disappearance cases reported nationwide in 2016 (728 officially recorded).
According to Pakistan's Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (COIED), thousands of cases have been recorded from Balochistan. The International Commission of Jurists stated in 2021 that "not a single perpetrator of enforced disappearance has been held accountable" in Pakistan.
On January 3, 2021, the Machh massacre took place when ISIS-linked gunmen executed 11 coal miners from the Hazara Shia minority after checking their IDs. The victims' families staged an 8-day protest, refusing to bury their dead until Prime Minister Khan visited.
Sindhi and Mohajir political activists also went missing. In 2016, several MQM party members in Karachi allegedly disappeared during the Rangers' crackdown. The Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh recorded about 30 disappearances in 2019, increasing to 99 in 2020.
A turning point was the killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud in January 2018. The 27-year-old model was killed by Karachi police who falsely branded him a Taliban militant. His death sparked nationwide outrage and birthed the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM).
Sindh is home to Pakistan's largest Hindu minority and saw continued reports of forced conversions of Hindu girls to Islam. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom flagged Sindh's forced conversions as a serious concern.
By end-2020, 2,942 missing persons cases were registered in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – the highest of any province – reflecting how Pashtun activists suffered in the "war on dissent". The province faced severe militant violence, with the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and ISIS both active.
A shocking blasphemy-related lynching occurred in April 2017 when university student Mashal Khan was brutally murdered by a mob over false blasphemy allegations at Bacha Khan University in Charsadda. The case reverberated nationwide, sparking rare debate about blasphemy misuse.
The extrajudicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud in Karachi in January 2018 catalyzed the formation of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement. Led by Manzoor Pashteen, it began as a protest to demand justice for Naqeeb and removal of landmines in Waziristan, but grew into mass rallies across KP by March 2018, giving voice to "long-simmering anger at years of abuses" among Pashtuns.
On January 30, 2023, a suicide bomber attacked a mosque inside Peshawar's police headquarters, killing 101 people, mostly policemen. This was one of Pakistan's deadliest terror attacks in years. The Pakistani Taliban (TTP), emboldened by their ideological allies' victory in Afghanistan, escalated attacks throughout 2021-2023.
On December 30, 2020, a mob of hundreds, incited by a local cleric, burned down a historic Hindu shrine in Karak, KP. Authorities responded by arresting around 30 people, and the Supreme Court ordered reconstruction of the temple. In 2021, the rebuilt Karak Hindu temple was inaugurated.
In Punjab, religious minorities, particularly Christians and Ahmadis, faced persecution. In 2023, Pakistan witnessed one of its worst anti-Christian pogroms in recent history in Jaranwala, Punjab. Incited by blasphemy allegations, mobs armed with sticks attacked and burned at least 26 churches and dozens of Christian homes.
In January 2022, a crowd of over 200 people attacked and lynched a man accused of desecrating the Quran in Khanewal, Punjab. In July 2020, a U.S. citizen of Pakistani origin, Tahir Naseem, who was on trial for blasphemy, was shot dead in a courtroom in Peshawar by a teenager. The killer became a hero to some extremists.
By 2020, media freedom had hit a nadir. The year saw multiple attacks on journalists. In July 2020, Matiullah Jan was abducted in Islamabad - a brazen action that sent a message to all journalists that powerful figures were willing to go to any extent. New social media rules enacted under PECA 2020 enabled censorship of online content under vague "national security" terms.
The human rights situation in Pakistan has drawn significant international attention and responses from various organizations and nations:
Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked a train with 400+ passengers, detonating explosives on tracks. "Operation Green Bolan" rescued 354 hostages; 64 fatalities including civilians and security personnel.
Learn morePolice opened fire on demonstrators in Quetta after the hijacking, killing three and injuring many. Human rights activist Mahrang Baloch was arrested and remains detained with concerns about her safety.
In Karachi, Ahmadi community member Laeeq Cheema was beaten to death by a mob during a rally organized by radical Islamist group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) near an Ahmadi place of worship.
Twin suicide bombings targeted a military compound in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resulting in the deaths of five soldiers and 13 civilians.
Military operation targeting suspected TTP militants in Katlang, Mardan District (KP), led to the deaths of nine civilians, including two women and two children, sparking protests.
Pakistan's parliament passed a controversial bill granting the government extensive control over social media, including imprisoning users for spreading "disinformation," raising free speech concerns.
Arbitrary arrests, torture, and enforced disappearances of activists advocating autonomy.
Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) hijacks a passenger train, leading to a deadly hostage crisis and military operation. 64 killed, 354 rescued.
Police fire on demonstrators in Quetta after the hijacking, killing 3. Human rights activist Mahrang Baloch arrested.
Ahmadi man Laeeq Cheema beaten to death by mob in Karachi during TLP rally.
Attacks on military compound in Bannu, KP, kill 5 soldiers and 13 civilians.
Military operation in Mardan District kills 9 civilians, sparking protests.
New laws restrict speech, increase censorship, and target dissenting voices.
Arbitrary arrests, torture, and enforced disappearances of activists advocating autonomy.
Watch video reports and documentaries about the human rights situation in Pakistan.
Documentary exploring the ongoing human rights crisis in Balochistan, featuring testimonies from affected families and expert analysis.
Al Jazeera report on Pakistan's enforced disappearances crisis, where thousands of political activists and human rights workers have been taken against their will.
Overview of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and their struggle for justice and human rights in Pakistan's northwestern regions.
Documentary examining the persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan, including the challenges faced by Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadis.
Access our detailed reports on the human rights situation in Pakistan, with comprehensive analysis and documentation of violations across all provinces.