# Human Rights Violations in Pakistan (2016–2025) This report documents major human rights violations in Pakistan from 2016 through early 2025, organized by province, year, and type of violation. It covers abuses by both state authorities and non-state actors (e.g. militant groups), including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, police violence, religious persecution, media suppression, arbitrary arrests, and civilian casualties from conflict. International responses from the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and foreign governments are noted where relevant. ## Balochistan Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but most restive province, saw pervasive enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of Baloch activists and suspected militants throughout 2016–2025. Separatist insurgents and sectarian extremists also carried out deadly attacks on civilians. Human rights groups have termed the situation in Balochistan a “crisis,” with thousands missing and a “kill-and-dump” pattern of bodies found. The UN and international NGOs repeatedly urged Pakistan’s government to end impunity for abuses in Balochistan. ### 2016 - **Enforced Disappearances:** Security agencies continued to abduct Baloch students, activists, and suspected separatists. Hundreds of new disappearance cases were reported nationwide in 2016 (728 officially recorded)​[newsvibesofindia.com](https://newsvibesofindia.com/big-jump-in-enforced-disappearances-in-pakistan/#:~:text=reported), a large portion from Balochistan. Local activists allege the true number was higher, as families feared reprisals if they came forward​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/01/25/63-persons-forcibly-disappeared-37-killed-in-pakistans-balochistan/#:~:text=last%20year%2C%20with%20at%20least,in%20March%2C%20mostly%20from%20Balochistan)​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/01/25/63-persons-forcibly-disappeared-37-killed-in-pakistans-balochistan/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Commission%20of,actual%20number%20is%20much%20higher). - **Extrajudicial Killings:** Many missing persons turned up dead in “encounter” shootings or with torture marks. Security forces were accused of a *“kill and dump”* policy targeting Baloch nationalists​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/9/kill-and-dump-policy-baloch-protest-mans-custodial-murder-in-pakistan#:~:text=%27Kill%20and%20dump%20policy%27%3A%20Baloch,killing%20of%20a%20young%20man). In August 2016, a notorious incident saw a young Baloch man killed in custody, sparking protests in Quetta and Islamabad​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/9/kill-and-dump-policy-baloch-protest-mans-custodial-murder-in-pakistan#:~:text=%27Kill%20and%20dump%20policy%27%3A%20Baloch,killing%20of%20a%20young%20man). Pakistan’s army and Frontier Corps denied wrongdoing, but no perpetrator was held accountable. - **Militant Attacks & Civilian Casualties:** Balochistan suffered two of Pakistan’s worst terrorist attacks in 2016. In August, a suicide bombing at Quetta’s Civil Hospital killed ~70 people – mostly lawyers gathered after a colleague’s murder​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Militant%20groups%20targeted%20lawyers%2C%20courts%2C,the%20district%20courts%20in%20Mardan)​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Khyber%20Pakhtunkhwa%2C%20killed%2017%20people,in%20Mardan%20killed%2014%20people). The attack was claimed by Islamic State (ISIS) and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (a Pakistani Taliban faction). In October, armed militants stormed a police training college in Quetta, killing 61 cadets. Such massacres underscored the grave security threats faced by civilians. - **Media Suppression:** Journalists in Balochistan operated under threat. Several reporters were killed or went missing, some allegedly targeted by militants for being “informants” and others intimidated by security agencies. The **Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)** reported that at least 11 journalists were murdered countrywide in 2016​[newindianexpress.com](https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2021/May/04/pakistan-witnessed-substantial-human-rights-violations-in-2020-report-2298266.html#:~:text=Over%20the%20freedom%20of%20expression,Council%20of%20Pakistan%20Newspaper%20Editors), with Balochistan being one of the deadliest regions for the press. ### 2017 - **Enforced Disappearances & Extrajudicial Killings:** The human rights crisis in Balochistan persisted. Security forces “were implicated in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of suspected Baloch militants” throughout 2017​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=The%20human%20rights%20crisis%20in,Baloch%20civilians). In one case, the bullet-riddled corpse of **Nazar Mohammad Baloch**, a missing student, was found in Turbat – emblematic of countless unresolved killings. According to Pakistan’s Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (COIED), 868 new disappearance cases were registered in 2017​[newsvibesofindia.com](https://newsvibesofindia.com/big-jump-in-enforced-disappearances-in-pakistan/#:~:text=reported) (many in Balochistan). Activists insist the actual toll is far higher​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/01/25/63-persons-forcibly-disappeared-37-killed-in-pakistans-balochistan/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Commission%20of,actual%20number%20is%20much%20higher). - **Militant Violence:** Baloch insurgent groups escalated attacks on non-Baloch residents. In May 2017, gunmen from the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) opened fire on construction workers near Gwadar, killing 10 Punjabi laborers working on a CPEC road project​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/5/13/gunmen-kill-10-labourers-in-balochistans-gwadar#:~:text=%E2%80%9CTwo%20gunmen%20riding%20on%20motorbikes,Zamari%20told%20AFP%20news%20agency). The BLA claimed it was resisting “colonization,” warning that China-backed projects were not acceptable to the Baloch people​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/5/13/gunmen-kill-10-labourers-in-balochistans-gwadar#:~:text=The%20attack%20has%20been%20claimed,homeland%20for%20the%20ethnic%20Baloch). Such ethnic-targeted killings spread fear among outsider communities. - **Sectarian Terror & Religious Persecution:** Sunni extremist groups continued to massacre Shia Hazara and other minorities. On June 24, 2017, twin bomb blasts tore through a market in Parachinar (a Shia-majority town in the adjacent tribal region), killing at least 67 people​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/6/24/death-toll-in-parachinar-and-quetta-attacks-passes-80#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20people%20killed,Friday%20to%2085%2C%20officials%20said). Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a sectarian militant outfit, claimed responsibility​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/6/24/death-toll-in-parachinar-and-quetta-attacks-passes-80#:~:text=Bazar%2C%20he%20told%20local%20media). (Many Hazara Shias from Balochistan have also been victims of LeJ’s violence.) The community protested the lack of protection. Pakistan’s government was urged by the UN to curb sectarian terror and prosecute its perpetrators. - **Police Violence:** In December, police in Quetta were accused of excessive force when dispersing a protest by families of missing persons. Baton charges and mass arrests were reported. Amnesty International called on authorities to allow peaceful assembly and address the protesters’ grievances rather than silence them. ### 2018 - **Enforced Disappearances:** 2018 saw a *record surge* in disappearances. COIED received **1,098 new disappearance complaints in 2018**, the highest annual figure on record​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/01/25/63-persons-forcibly-disappeared-37-killed-in-pakistans-balochistan/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Commission%20of,actual%20number%20is%20much%20higher). Balochistan remained the epicenter – in just one month (March 2018), 162 people were forcibly disappeared nationwide, many from Balochistan​[newsvibesofindia.com](https://newsvibesofindia.com/big-jump-in-enforced-disappearances-in-pakistan/#:~:text=This%20is%20a%20huge%20jump,162%20reported%20in%20April%2C%202018). Human Rights Watch noted “the human rights crisis in Balochistan continued” unabated​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=The%20human%20rights%20crisis%20in,Baloch%20civilians). Some missing persons were later found dead, while others’ fate remains unknown. International watchdogs (HRW, Amnesty) repeatedly demanded Pakistan criminalize enforced disappearance and punish those responsible, to no avail. - **Extrajudicial Killings:** Security operations intensified ahead of the July 2018 elections. Rights groups reported a pattern of “encounter killings” of alleged militants. In Awaran district, for example, several young men were shot by paramilitary troops in what locals claim were staged gunfights. No transparent investigations were conducted. In November 2018, the **United Nations Working Group on Enforced Disappearances** urged Pakistan to end impunity, noting that hundreds of cases in Balochistan remained unresolved​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/01/25/63-persons-forcibly-disappeared-37-killed-in-pakistans-balochistan/#:~:text=As%20per%20the%20UN%20Working,with%20731%20people%20still%20missing). - **Election-Related Violence:** Balochistan suffered the deadliest terror attack of 2018: on July 13, a suicide bomber targeted an election rally in Mastung. The blast killed **149 people** (including candidate Siraj Raisani) and injured nearly 200​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/7/15/pakistan-death-toll-rises-to-149-in-mastung-attack#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20dead%20increased,told%20Al%20Jazeera%20on%20Sunday)​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/7/15/pakistan-death-toll-rises-to-149-in-mastung-attack#:~:text=BAP%20leader%20Siraj%20Raisani%2C%20who,middle%20of%20a%20packed%20crowd), making it one of the bloodiest attacks in Pakistan’s history. The Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/7/15/pakistan-death-toll-rises-to-149-in-mastung-attack#:~:text=There%20were%20conflicting%20claims%20of,31%20claiming%20the%20attack). Days later, on polling day, another suicide bombing in Quetta killed 31 voters. The Pakistani Taliban and ISIS explicitly tried to disrupt the democratic process, killing “hundreds of people” in attacks on election activities​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Attacks%20by%20Islamist%20militants%20resulted,effort%20to%20disrupt%20the%20elections). - **Religious Persecution:** In Balochistan’s capital Quetta, the Hazara Shia community remained under siege. A series of targeted killings in April 2018 prompted Hazaras to stage a week-long sit-in, pleading for protection. In response, Army Chief Gen. Qamar Bajwa visited Quetta and promised improved security. However, in October, Islamist extremists attacked a Quetta marketplace, killing 5 Hazara civilians. The **United States**, noting systematic persecution, designated Pakistan a *“Country of Particular Concern”* in 2018 for egregious violations of religious freedom​[uscirf.gov](https://www.uscirf.gov/search-results?f%5B0%5D=news%3A501&f%5B1%5D=related_country%3A30&f%5B2%5D=related_country%3A32&f%5B3%5D=related_country%3A36&f%5B4%5D=related_country%3A38&f%5B5%5D=related_country%3A47&f%5B6%5D=related_country%3A48&f%5B7%5D=related_country%3A49&f%5B8%5D=related_country%3A55&f%5B9%5D=related_country%3A57&f%5B10%5D=related_country%3A61&f%5B11%5D=related_country%3A62&f%5B12%5D=related_country%3A63&f%5B13%5D=related_country%3A65&f%5B14%5D=related_country%3A67&f%5B15%5D=related_country%3A69&f%5B16%5D=related_country%3A71&f%5B17%5D=related_country%3A72&f%5B18%5D=related_country%3A73&f%5B19%5D=related_country%3A5840&f%5B20%5D=topic%3A173&f%5B21%5D=topic%3A204&f%5B22%5D=topic%3A489&f%5B23%5D=topic%3A500&page=2#:~:text=Search%20,since%202018%2C%20but%20it) – including the killing of Shia Hazaras and abuse of blasphemy laws. ### 2019 - **Enforced Disappearances:** The toll remained high, with **800 new disappearance cases in 2019** recorded by the COIED​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/01/25/63-persons-forcibly-disappeared-37-killed-in-pakistans-balochistan/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Commission%20of,actual%20number%20is%20much%20higher). Activists in Balochistan allege many missing were students and bloggers who criticized the military. In one emblematic case, 20-year-old **Sammi Baloch** continued a protest march across provinces demanding the return of her father, who vanished years prior. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) decried the “climate of fear” that silences families of the disappeared. In March 2019, the UN Human Rights Council’s *Working Group on Enforced Disappearances* pressed Pakistan for answers on 731 pending cases since 1980​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/01/25/63-persons-forcibly-disappeared-37-killed-in-pakistans-balochistan/#:~:text=As%20per%20the%20UN%20Working,with%20731%20people%20still%20missing). - **Extrajudicial Killing:** In June 2019, the **tortured, bullet-ridden body** of Sindhi activist **Niaz Lashari** was found dumped in Karachi​[unpo.org](https://unpo.org/sindh-missing-activists-body-found-in-karachi/#:~:text=Today%20,ATC%29%20in%20April%202019). Lashari, a member of a Sindhi nationalist party, had been abducted by security agencies in Balochistan in 2018 and again in April 2019 while returning from a court hearing​[unpo.org](https://unpo.org/sindh-missing-activists-body-found-in-karachi/#:~:text=Today%20,ATC%29%20in%20April%202019). His extrajudicial murder drew condemnation from the World Sindhi Congress and Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), who raised it at the UN as an example of “gross violations… including enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings” of activists​[unpo.org](https://unpo.org/sindh-missing-activists-body-found-in-karachi/#:~:text=hearing%20in%20a%20so,ATC%29%20in%20April%202019). Rights groups demanded impartial investigations, but none occurred. (His case exemplified how Baloch and Sindhi activists faced similar fates.) - **Militant Attacks:** Separatist militants continued to inflict violence. In April 2019, a suicide bomber struck Quetta’s Hazarganji market, killing 20 people (including 8 Hazara Shias)​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Although%20Pakistan%20witnessed%20fewer%20attacks,enforcement%20officials%20and%20religious%20minorities). ISIS claimed responsibility, underscoring ongoing sectarian terror. The Hazara community staged protests with coffins of victims, refusing to bury their dead until the Prime Minister visited – a demand eventually met. In May 2019, BLA insurgents attacked the upscale Pearl Continental Hotel in Gwadar, killing 5 (mostly hotel staff). Pakistani forces sieged the hotel, and all four attackers died. China, invested in Gwadar, urged Pakistan to step up security. - **Police Violence:** Late 2019 saw unrest in Gwadar over local rights. The **“Gwadar Ko Haq Do”** (Give Gwadar its rights) movement led peaceful protests against heavy military presence and fishing rights abuses. Police initially allowed sit-ins, but in December, as demonstrations grew, authorities arrested dozens of protestors and briefly detained movement leader Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman. Amnesty International warned that cracking down on peaceful protest would only fuel local grievances. The government agreed to some demands (curbing deep-sea trawlers) and released detainees. ### 2020 - **Enforced Disappearances:** While official figures dipped to 415 new cases in 2020 (the lowest in six years)​[newsvibesofindia.com](https://newsvibesofindia.com/big-jump-in-enforced-disappearances-in-pakistan/#:~:text=According%20to%20data%20from%20the,net%20reported), Balochistan still saw relentless abductions by “unknown persons” (a euphemism for security agencies). Late in 2020, university students in Quetta protested after two classmates, **Sohail Baloch and Faisal Marri**, were abducted from campus dorms​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/01/25/63-persons-forcibly-disappeared-37-killed-in-pakistans-balochistan/#:~:text=Previously%2C%20two%20students%2C%20Suhail%20Baloch,the%20two%20students%20remain%20unknown). The protest forced authorities to acknowledge the incident; a government committee promised recovery in 3 days, but the students remain missing​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/01/25/63-persons-forcibly-disappeared-37-killed-in-pakistans-balochistan/#:~:text=Informational%20general%20secretary%20of%20the,these%20promises%20were%20not%20fulfilled). In November 2020, HRCP noted that *“even a pandemic did not slow the epidemic of enforced disappearances”*. International Commission of Jurists lambasted Pakistan’s COIED for \*“failing to hold even a single perpetrator accountable in nine years”\*​[newsvibesofindia.com](https://newsvibesofindia.com/big-jump-in-enforced-disappearances-in-pakistan/#:~:text=In%20a%20briefing%20paper%20in,net%20reported)​[newsvibesofindia.com](https://newsvibesofindia.com/big-jump-in-enforced-disappearances-in-pakistan/#:~:text=victims%20and%20their%20loved%20without,any%20redress). - **Extrajudicial Killing:** On August 13, 2020, **Hayat Baloch**, a 23-year-old Baloch student, was shot dead at point-blank range by a Frontier Corps soldier in Turbat. Hayat was handcuffed and **shot eight times in front of his parents** after a roadside bomb attack on an FC convoy​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2020/08/18/rights-groups-demand-justice-for-murdered-baloch-student/#:~:text=Press%20Club%20also%20condemned%20his,killing). Witnesses say he was unarmed and had nothing to do with the blast​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2020/08/18/rights-groups-demand-justice-for-murdered-baloch-student/#:~:text=Hayat%20Baloch%2C%20a%2023,tortured%20before%20being%20shot%20dead)​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2020/08/18/rights-groups-demand-justice-for-murdered-baloch-student/#:~:text=Press%20Club%20also%20condemned%20his,killing). His cold-blooded killing, initially covered up as “accidental,” sparked the #JusticeForHayat movement and rare nationwide outrage. Human rights groups and even some politicians demanded justice. Under public pressure, the soldier was court-martialed and later sentenced to death by a military tribunal​[pakistantoday.com.pk](https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2021/01/21/fc-soldier-gets-death-penalty-for-killing-student/#:~:text=Today%20www,He%20was%20a%20BS)​[tribune.com.pk](https://tribune.com.pk/story/2280715/1?fbclid=IwAR0bSIzV0p2Wa2p8QHibMnd91l2ooSL4Q55O5KBKQ0arWhpdaMJitBMhEM4#:~:text=Tribune%20tribune,Hayat%20was%20a%20BS) – an *exceptional* instance of accountability for a security force killing in Balochistan. Amnesty International welcomed the conviction but insisted that systemic reforms are needed to end decades of impunity. - **Religious Persecution:** In Balochistan’s remote Mach area, **11 Hazara Shia coal miners** were brutally massacred on January 3, 2021 (technically end of 2020 reporting period). Armed militants from the local ISIS affiliate kidnapped the miners and executed them on video due to their Shia faith​[un.org](https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2021-01-04/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-pakistan#:~:text=General%20www.un.org%20%20The%20Secretary,Balochistan%20province%20of%20Pakistan)​[reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/asia-pacific/islamic-state-claims-responsibility-for-attack-on-pakistans-shiite-hazara-mino-idUSKBN2980HG/#:~:text=Islamic%20State%20claims%20responsibility%20for,Shi%27ite%20Hazaras%20in%20Baluchistan). The incident (often called the *Machh massacre*) horrified the nation: Hazara families camped on Quetta’s Western Bypass in freezing winter for a week, refusing to bury the bodies until Prime Minister Imran Khan met them​[theworld.org](https://theworld.org/stories/2021/01/18/headline-activists-killing-coal-miners-pakistan-reminder-deliberate-targeting#:~:text=Hazara%20community%20demands%20justice%20for,the%20victims%20and%20their%20families). The **UN Secretary-General strongly condemned** the “terrorist attack” against a minority community​[un.org](https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2021-01-04/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-pakistan#:~:text=General%20www.un.org%20%20The%20Secretary,Balochistan%20province%20of%20Pakistan). After international and domestic pressure, Khan visited and assured better protection for Hazaras. (Nevertheless, the persecution of Hazaras – who have *“little space left in graveyards”* after decades of killings​[theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/apr/05/mass-graves-pakistan-shia-minority-hazara-slaughter-imran-khan#:~:text=%27Every%20year%20we%20dig%20mass,in%20no%20hurry%20to) – remains an unresolved human rights tragedy.) - **Media Suppression:** Journalists in Balochistan continued to face a two-front threat in 2020: militant groups on one side and intelligence agencies on the other. In February, journalist **Sajid Hussain** – who had reported on Balochistan’s abuses and fled to Sweden – was found dead under mysterious circumstances, prompting calls for investigation by RSF and CPJ​[theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/14/family-of-pakistani-journalist-await-truth-of-his-death-in-sweden#:~:text=Family%20of%20Pakistani%20journalist%20await,him%20death%20threats%20at%20home). In May (World Press Freedom Day), senior journalist **Muhammad Siddique Mengal**, president of the Khuzdar Press Club, was killed by a bomb attached to his car​[ifj.org](https://www.ifj.org/fr/salle-de-presse/nouvelles/detail/category/communiques-de-presse/article/pakistan-journalist-killed-in-bomb-blast-on-world-press-freedom-day#:~:text=Khuzdar%20Press%20Club%20President%20and,ensure%20the%20safety%20of%20journalists)​[ifj.org](https://www.ifj.org/fr/salle-de-presse/nouvelles/detail/category/communiques-de-presse/article/pakistan-journalist-killed-in-bomb-blast-on-world-press-freedom-day#:~:text=Mengal%20was%20killed%20by%20a,the%20time%20of%20the%20attack). IFJ condemned the assassination as a targeted attack on the press and urged authorities to investigate​[ifj.org](https://www.ifj.org/fr/salle-de-presse/nouvelles/detail/category/communiques-de-presse/article/pakistan-journalist-killed-in-bomb-blast-on-world-press-freedom-day#:~:text=Khuzdar%20Press%20Club%20President%20and,ensure%20the%20safety%20of%20journalists). No perpetrators were identified publicly. Pakistan’s press freedom climate, especially in conflict zones like Balochistan, remained among the worst in the world. ### 2021 - **Enforced Disappearances:** 2021 saw a *surge* in reported disappearances, especially early in the year. By April 2021, an astonishing **952 cases** had already been filed in that year alone​[newsvibesofindia.com](https://newsvibesofindia.com/big-jump-in-enforced-disappearances-in-pakistan/#:~:text=New%20Delhi%20,of%20this%20year%20till%20April)​[newsvibesofindia.com](https://newsvibesofindia.com/big-jump-in-enforced-disappearances-in-pakistan/#:~:text=Pakistani%20security%20agencies%2C%20like%20ISI%2C,or%20their%20proxies). In March 2021, a spike of **714 new disappearances in a single month** – **692 of them in Balochistan** – was recorded by the official commission​[newsvibesofindia.com](https://newsvibesofindia.com/big-jump-in-enforced-disappearances-in-pakistan/#:~:text=This%20is%20a%20huge%20jump,162%20reported%20in%20April%2C%202018). This unprecedented wave coincided with security operations against Baloch insurgents. Rights groups like Voice for Baloch Missing Persons warned these numbers were “just the tip of the iceberg”​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/01/25/63-persons-forcibly-disappeared-37-killed-in-pakistans-balochistan/#:~:text=last%20year%2C%20with%20at%20least,in%20March%2C%20mostly%20from%20Balochistan)​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/01/25/63-persons-forcibly-disappeared-37-killed-in-pakistans-balochistan/#:~:text=This%20number%20was%20around%20800,actual%20number%20is%20much%20higher), as many families still stayed silent out of fear​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/01/25/63-persons-forcibly-disappeared-37-killed-in-pakistans-balochistan/#:~:text=last%20year%2C%20with%20at%20least,in%20March%2C%20mostly%20from%20Balochistan). Throughout 2021, students and activists repeatedly protested in Quetta and Islamabad for the recovery of the missing. The government formed committees and made token releases (several dozen missing were freed mid-year), but by year-end at least 415 new disappearance cases remained unresolved​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/01/25/63-persons-forcibly-disappeared-37-killed-in-pakistans-balochistan/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Commission%20of,actual%20number%20is%20much%20higher). The **UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances** again requested a country visit; Pakistan has not granted one. - **Extrajudicial Killings:** According to the Human Rights Council of Balochistan, at least **37 people were extrajudicially killed by “unknown gunmen”** in Balochistan in December 2021 alone​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/01/25/63-persons-forcibly-disappeared-37-killed-in-pakistans-balochistan/#:~:text=enforced%20disappearance%20in%20Balochistan%2C%20most,of%20them%20being%20students). Many victims were found dumped in remote areas, a hallmark of death squads. In one incident, five members of a banned Baloch armed group were killed in what authorities called an encounter, but locals alleged they were captured and summarily executed. Such reports, coupled with continuing “kill-and-dump” cases, indicate that extrajudicial killings remained frequent. The **International Commission of Jurists** stated in late 2021 that *“not a single perpetrator of enforced disappearance has been held accountable”* in Pakistan​[newsvibesofindia.com](https://newsvibesofindia.com/big-jump-in-enforced-disappearances-in-pakistan/#:~:text=In%20a%20briefing%20paper%20in,net%20reported) – contributing to continued lethal abuse. - **Sectarian Violence:** On January 3, 2021, the *Machh massacre* (described above) took place, underscoring the extreme vulnerability of Hazara Shias in Balochistan. The aftermath saw a global outcry – **UN Secretary-General António Guterres** “strongly condemned” the killing of the 11 miners​[un.org](https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2021-01-04/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-pakistan#:~:text=General%20www.un.org%20%20The%20Secretary,Balochistan%20province%20of%20Pakistan), and **Amnesty International** demanded Pakistan end “decades of persecution” of Hazaras. Later in 2021, sectarian attacks persisted at a lower intensity; for instance, in May, two Hazara shopkeepers were gunned down in Quetta by motorcycle assassins (suspected sectarian militants). **Iran, the UK, and others** voiced concern over Hazara killings and urged Pakistan to bring the culprits to justice. - **Police/State Violence:** Balochistan also witnessed large peaceful protests in 2021 that were met with state resistance. The **Gwadar rights movement** swelled again in November–December 2021, with tens of thousands protesting for jobs, water, and an end to deep-sea fishing by outsiders. Initially peaceful, the protests were mostly women and children. After weeks of sit-ins, the government signed an agreement promising to address demands. However, some activists reported being harassed by police and intelligence even after the protest ended. The movement’s leader, Maulana Hidayat, was later arrested in 2022 on charges his followers say were fabricated to punish his activism. ### 2022 - **Enforced Disappearances:** The year 2022 saw a **decline in new disappearance cases** (officially around 100+ cases, far lower than 2021’s surge) as domestic and international scrutiny peaked. Nevertheless, Balochistan remained the hotspot. In a high-profile case, in June 2022, two young activists – **Mahrang Baloch** and **Safiullah** – were abducted from Turbat. Mahrang, a prominent voice for Baloch rights, was released after a month of campaigns (including an Amnesty International Urgent Action)​[amnesty.org.uk](https://www.amnesty.org.uk/blogs/country-specialists/forced-disappearances-pakistan-case-mahrang-baloch#:~:text=Forced%20Disappearances%20in%20Pakistan%3A%20The,the%20worsening%20human%20rights). Safiullah remained missing. Separately, armed forces carried out major counter-insurgency operations in Nushki and Panjgur (February 2022) after Baloch insurgents attacked army camps; while the military reported killing dozens of militants, locals and journalists were denied access, raising concerns about possible hidden civilian casualties. The **United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights** urged Pakistan to allow independent monitoring in Balochistan’s conflict zones. - **Extrajudicial Violence:** In 2022, instances of *“death in custody”* continued to be reported. In October, a Baloch student from Quetta, previously detained under vague charges, died in a Karachi prison hospital. His family alleged he succumbed to torture. HRCP noted that despite the formation of a federal Ministry for Human Rights, incidents of torture and custodial death did not abate in provinces like Balochistan. Meanwhile, security forces were accused of collective punishment: after militant attacks, reports surfaced of troops burning down houses in suspect villages (a practice documented by HRW in earlier years). Such tactics inflamed local resentment. - **Militant Attacks:** Baloch insurgent groups dramatically escalated their campaign in early 2022. In January and February, the BLA carried out bold attacks, including simultaneous assaults on two Frontier Corps bases (Nushki and Panjgur) in which at least 9 soldiers and 20 militants were killed. In April, insurgents derailed a train in Bolan, injuring civilians. Pakistan’s army called the incidents *“an attempt to mar peace in Balochistan”*. By mid-2022, however, a crackdown (including reported air strikes on militant hideouts) weakened insurgent activity. Armed Islamist groups also struck: in March, ISIS claimed a suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Peshawar (though outside Balochistan, it reverberated nationwide)​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=In%20January%2C%20an%20anti,the%20Quran%2C%20in%20Khanewal%2C%20Punjab). - **Press Freedom:** The climate of intimidation persisted. Journalists in Balochistan faced violent reprisals – for example, in May 2022, reporter **Athar Mateen** was shot dead in Quetta after investigating local corruption (police claimed it was a robbery, but colleagues suspect targeted killing). Several Baloch reporters continued to receive threats from both security agencies and militants, forcing some to relocate or self-censor. When celebrated national journalist **Arshad Sharif** was assassinated abroad in October 2022 after fleeing Pakistan, journalists in Balochistan held vigils in solidarity, linking his fate to the dangers they face. The **Committee to Protect Journalists** and **Reporters Without Borders** highlighted Pakistan (and Balochistan in particular) in 2022 as one of the most dangerous places for journalists, urging Pakistani authorities to safeguard media workers. ### 2023–2025 - **Enforced Disappearances:** By 2023, Pakistan’s own data showed over **9,000 disappearance cases since 2011**, with around 2,000 still unresolved as of early 2024​[gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pakistan-country-policy-and-information-notes/country-policy-and-information-note-actors-of-protection-pakistan-may-2023-accessible#:~:text=,cases%20as%20of%20January%202024). Balochistan continued to account for a disproportionate share. COIED recorded **885 new cases in 2023** (second only to 2018’s peak)​[m.facebook.com](https://m.facebook.com/pakobserver/photos/the-commission-for-missing-persons-in-pakistan-reported-the-lowest-number-of-cas/1184300533705053/#:~:text=,the%20end%20of%202024), suggesting another spike – likely linked to political turmoil (authorities also allegedly disappeared some Pashtun and Punjabi opposition activists, beyond the longstanding Baloch cases). The **Human Rights Commission of Pakistan** warned in its 2023 report that enforced disappearances have become an “entrenched tool of repression” and that without legislation criminalizing the practice, the cycle will continue. In late 2023, Pakistan’s Parliament finally passed a bill officially making enforced disappearance a crime, but human rights groups criticized it for *lacking teeth* and accountability for military agencies. Internationally, the UN **Committee Against Torture** in 2024 pressed Pakistan for concrete results – a demand echoed by the EU in the context of reviewing Pakistan’s GSP+ trade status. - **Extrajudicial Killings:** The trend of mysterious killings persisted into 2023-24. In May 2023, amid a crackdown on opposition protests, a Baloch political worker in Quetta died in custody (family allege he was tortured for social media posts). In July 2023, three missing persons’ bullet-riddled bodies were found in Kech district; local protests ensued, with banners asking “Where is justice?”. Security officials denied involvement. Meanwhile, **Pakistan’s Supreme Court**, after years of delay, resumed hearings in a landmark case on Balochistan disappearances. The court in 2024 summoned top officials to explain what steps have been taken, calling enforced disappearance *“a blemish on the rule of law”*. While some families have found closure in courts, most still await justice. - **Militant and Sectarian Violence:** Violence saw an uptick with the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) ending its ceasefire in late 2022. In January 2023, a **suicide bomber blew himself up inside a Peshawar mosque filled with police officers**, killing 100 people​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/31/pakistan-rescue-operation-peshawar-mosque-suicide-bombing#:~:text=The%20death%20toll%20from%20a,security%20challenge%20from%20armed%20groups)​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/31/pakistan-rescue-operation-peshawar-mosque-suicide-bombing#:~:text=end%20of%20list) – one of the deadliest attacks in years. The blast (though in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) underscored that militancy remains a national threat. Balochistan also experienced major attacks in 2023: in September, a suicide bombing at a mosque in Mastung during a religious procession killed 55 people (ISIS claimed responsibility)​[reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/blast-southwest-pakistan-kills-13-more-than-50-injured-police-2023-09-29/#:~:text=Reuters%20www,children%2C%20as%20believers%20marked). And in early 2025, insurgents attacked labourers working on a road in Kech, killing four – continuing the pattern of targeting “outsiders”. The **United States** and **UN Security Council** condemned these attacks and urged Pakistan to combat terrorism while respecting human rights. - **International Spotlight:** The plight of Balochistan kept drawing international attention. In 2023, the EU Parliament’s human rights chair voiced alarm over *“reports of ongoing enforced disappearances in Balochistan”*. The **U.S. State Department’s 2023 Human Rights Report** on Pakistan highlighted “credible reports of unlawful or arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial killings, and forced disappearances, especially in Balochistan”​[state.gov](https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/pakistan/#:~:text=2023%20Country%20Reports%20on%20Human,extrajudicial%20killings%3B%20enforced%20disappearance%3B%20torture). The UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances, in its 2023 annual report, cited Pakistan as a country of concern and again *urged the Pakistan Army to refrain from harassing human rights defenders in Balochistan*. So far, Pakistan’s responses have been mostly defensive denials. As of 2025, families of Baloch missing persons – including aged mothers who have protested for a decade – are still seeking answers and justice. ## Sindh Sindh province (home to Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city) experienced significant human rights challenges from 2016–2025. Karachi saw frequent **police “encounter” killings** and paramilitary operations, while interior Sindh grappled with **forced conversions of Hindu minor girls** and misuse of blasphemy laws. Enforced disappearances affected Sindhi political activists and journalists as well. The media in Sindh faced pressure both from authorities and violent political groups. International rights bodies raised concerns over Sindh’s issues, from the crackdown on the MQM in Karachi to the abduction of Sindhi nationalists. ### 2016 - **Extrajudicial Killings (Karachi Operations):** Karachi was in the midst of a paramilitary **“cleanup” operation** against criminal and militant groups. Police and Rangers carried out hundreds of *“encounter”* shootings. In 2016 alone, Karachi police reported killing **318 suspects in raids and shootouts**, according to HRCP​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/1/19/police-killing-of-naqeebullah-mehsud-angers-pakistanis#:~:text=So,conviction%2C%20they%20extrajudicially%20kill%20suspects). Rights groups allege many of these were **fake encounters** – extrajudicial executions of suspects without trial​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/1/19/police-killing-of-naqeebullah-mehsud-angers-pakistanis#:~:text=So,conviction%2C%20they%20extrajudicially%20kill%20suspects). One notorious practitioner was **SSP Rao Anwar**, known as Karachi’s “encounter specialist,” who led dozens of deadly raids. While authorities defended the operations as necessary for law and order, HRW noted a pattern of police killing suspects \*“when lacking enough evidence for court”\*​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/1/19/police-killing-of-naqeebullah-mehsud-angers-pakistanis#:~:text=So,conviction%2C%20they%20extrajudicially%20kill%20suspects). The MQM (a Karachi political party) claimed many of its workers were eliminated unlawfully. - **Enforced Disappearances:** Enforced disappearances were not limited to Balochistan – Sindhi and Mohajir political activists also went missing. In 2016, several MQM party members in Karachi allegedly disappeared during the Rangers’ crackdown on the party’s militant wings. In Sindh’s interior, the nationalist group JSMM reported at least 20 of its workers abducted by agencies. Pakistani authorities rarely acknowledged these cases. Families in Sindh joined broader campaigns for missing persons. (By end-2020, **2,942 missing persons cases** were registered in neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – the highest of any province – reflecting how Pashtun and Sindhi activists also suffered in the “war on dissent”​[newindianexpress.com](https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2021/May/04/pakistan-witnessed-substantial-human-rights-violations-in-2020-report-2298266.html#:~:text=On%20the%20issue%20of%20enforced,the%20province%20stood%20at%202%2C942).) - **Political Violence:** On August 22, 2016, MQM’s exiled leader Altaf Hussain made an incendiary speech inciting followers to attack media houses. That day, MQM mobs attacked ARY News’s Karachi office, injuring staff​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=In%20May%2C%20four%20unidentified%20gunmen,%E2%80%9D)​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=In%20August%2C%20MQM%20supporters%20attacked,for%20not%20covering%20party%20protests). Security forces intervened and several MQM workers were arrested for rioting. This incident highlighted both the **threats to media from political groups** and the **tense climate in Karachi**, where authorities later banned Altaf’s speeches. The **BBC** and **Reporters Without Borders** raised alarm that journalists in Karachi were squeezed between militant political operatives and state censorship. - **Religious Minorities:** Sindh is home to Pakistan’s largest Hindu minority, and 2016 saw continued reports of **forced conversions** of Hindu girls to Islam. Local NGOs documented cases (e.g., a 16-year-old Hindu girl in Tharparkar allegedly kidnapped and forcibly married to a Muslim man). The practice drew condemnation from human rights bodies. Pakistan’s Senate took notice, and Sindh’s provincial assembly passed a bill in late 2016 criminalizing forced conversions – only to have Islamist parties vehemently oppose it, stalling the bill’s enforcement. The **US Commission on International Religious Freedom** flagged Sindh’s forced conversions as a serious concern in its 2016 report. ### 2017 - **Enforced Disappearances:** A wave of disappearances of social activists hit Sindh in mid-2017. In August, plainclothes agents (accompanied by police) **abducted four activists in Sindh** – Punhal Sario (campaigner for missing persons), Partab Shivani (a teacher), Naseer Kumbhar (writer) and Muhammad Umar – from different towns​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=computers%20and%20phones%20for%20forensic,evaluation). Their only “crime” was peacefully protesting enforced disappearances. One abductee, Punhal Sario, reappeared two months later, but the others remained missing for longer​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=In%20August%2C%20plainclothes%20men%20accompanied,Sario%20returned%20home%20in%20October). Earlier, in January 2017, five bloggers (including Karachi’s Samar Abbas) who had criticized religious extremism and the military were abducted from Punjab/Islamabad; four were later released amid international outcry, while Samar Abbas (a Sindhi activist) **remained disappeared**​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=In%20January%2C%20security%20forces%20abducted,disappeared%20at%20time%20of%20writing). The UN Committee on Human Rights that year expressed deep concern at \*“repeated reports of abduction, killings and intimidation of human rights defenders… allegedly by State agents”\*​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=In%20July%2C%20after%20its%20review,of%20human%20rights%20defenders%2C%20particularly)​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Social%20and%20Cultural%20Rights%20said,including%20members%20of%20military%20intelligence). Sindh’s government denied involvement, but the pattern of targeting Sindhi nationalist and civil society voices was unmistakable. - **Extrajudicial Killings (Karachi):** Karachi’s police encounters continued. In June 2017, Karachi police killed **Maulana Umair** (an Islamist militant) and three others in what they termed an anti-terror raid. Locals alleged it was a staged shootout. The Sindh High Court, noting inconsistencies, ordered an inquiry – one of the rare judicial probes into an encounter. Separately, in rural Sindh, feudal influentials were implicated in vigilante killings: for instance, a Hindu farmworker accused (falsely) of theft was lynched by a mob in Dadu district with police complicity. HRCP demanded the police uphold rule of law rather than enable mob “justice.” - **Religious Persecution:** A **shocking blasphemy-related lynching** occurred in April 2017, though in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: university student **Mashal Khan** was brutally murdered by a mob over false blasphemy allegations​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/4/15/pakistan-eight-charged-for-journalism-students-murder#:~:text=University%20student%20Mashal%20Khan%20was,being%20accused%20of%20committing%20blasphemy). The Mashal Khan case reverberated nationwide, including in Sindh’s campuses – sparking rare debate about blasphemy misuse. Meanwhile, Sindh itself saw growing misuse of blasphemy laws: in September 2017, an angry mob attacked a *Ahmadi* worship place in Hyderabad after accusations against an Ahmadi man; police barely managed to disperse them. And in December, in District Tharparkar, a Hindu teenager was jailed over a petty argument that escalated into blasphemy charges – part of an “alarming increase” in blasphemy accusations countrywide (2020 would see the highest number of blasphemy cases ever recorded​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1621254#:~:text=It%20notes%20that%20there%20has,and%20the%20most%20marginalised%20segments)). International monitors, including the **European Union**, noted these trends with concern. (The EU Parliament later cited *“the alarming increase in blasphemy accusations… with the highest number in 2020”* in a 2021 resolution​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1621254#:~:text=It%20notes%20that%20there%20has,and%20the%20most%20marginalised%20segments).) - **Media and Civil Society:** In September 2017, Pakistan’s interior ministry expelled two international NGOs based in Karachi, using new regulations to restrict civil society​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=A%20year%20after%20the%20government,the%20national%20plan%20against%20terrorism). Domestic NGOs in Sindh also reported harassment. Media in Sindh practiced self-censorship on sensitive topics (military abuses, separatist movements) after the abductions of bloggers. However, the year also saw **courageous activism**: when prominent social activist **Perween Rahman’s** murder case (she was assassinated in Karachi in 2013 for defending poor communities) came to trial in 2017, civil society persisted in seeking justice, eventually leading to convictions in 2021 – a rare win against impunity. ### 2018 - **Extrajudicial Killing (Naqeebullah Mehsud Case):** A turning point case in Karachi was the **killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud**. In January 2018, 27-year-old Naqeebullah, an aspiring model from Waziristan, was killed by Karachi police who falsely branded him a Taliban militant​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/1/19/police-killing-of-naqeebullah-mehsud-angers-pakistanis#:~:text=Islamabad%2C%20Pakistan%20%E2%80%93%20The%20police,an%20innocent%20aspiring%20male%20model)​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/1/19/police-killing-of-naqeebullah-mehsud-angers-pakistanis#:~:text=So,conviction%2C%20they%20extrajudicially%20kill%20suspects). Evidence later revealed he had been \*\*abducted, held for days, then shot in a staged “encounter”\*\*​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/1/19/police-killing-of-naqeebullah-mehsud-angers-pakistanis#:~:text=In%202016%2C%20police%20said%20they,an%20independent%20rights%20organisation). His death sparked nationwide outrage, especially among ethnic Pashtuns. It gave birth to the **Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM)**, a civil rights movement demanding an end to extrajudicial killings and disappearances of Pashtuns. Under pressure, authorities suspended SSP Rao Anwar (who led the raid) and eventually arrested him. In an unprecedented step, the *United States* in December 2019 **sanctioned Rao Anwar** for *“serious human rights abuses”* – noting he was \*“involved in over 190 fake police encounters that resulted in 400+ deaths, including Naqeebullah”\*​[ndtv.com](https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-blacklists-ex-pakistan-police-officer-rao-anwar-for-corruption-serious-human-rights-abuse-2146914#:~:text=The%20United%20States%20has%20blacklisted,police%20encounters)​[ndtv.com](https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-blacklists-ex-pakistan-police-officer-rao-anwar-for-corruption-serious-human-rights-abuse-2146914#:~:text=Mr%20Anwar%20was%20accused%20of,individuals%20were%20killed%20in%20Karachi). (This U.S. OFAC sanction was a strong international rebuke of Pakistan’s encounter killings.) Rao Anwar was tried in Sindh but ultimately acquitted in 2023, to the dismay of human rights advocates. Still, the Naqeeb case created public awareness about police brutality and emboldened calls for reform. - **Enforced Disappearances:** Sindhi nationalist groups reported a spike in enforced disappearances in 2018 as well. Activist networks documented dozens of cases; notably, the **Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM)**, a separatist outfit, claimed 10 of its members vanished across Sindh that year, with some later found dead. One prominent activist, **Ghulam Hussain Sindhi**, disappeared in June 2018 while organizing a protest in Badin. The *Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh* recorded about 30 disappearances in 2019, 99 in 2020 – suggesting the trend carried on​[upr-info.org](https://upr-info.org/sites/default/files/country-document/2023-03/WSC_UPR42_PAK_E_Main.pdf#:~:text=,of%20June%202022%2C%20more). The **UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances** has repeatedly cited such cases in Sindh in communications with Pakistan (e.g., cases of political workers from Sindh in its 2018 report). - **Religious Freedom:** A major positive development occurred in October 2018: Pakistan’s Supreme Court **acquitted Aasia Bibi**, a Christian woman from Punjab who had been on death row for blasphemy for 8 years​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=In%20October%2C%20Pakistan%E2%80%99s%20Supreme%20Court,military%20leadership%20with%20violent%20reprisals). The landmark judgment, though centered on Punjab, had nationwide impact including Sindh. It triggered furious protests by the extremist Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party across the country. In Karachi and Hyderabad, TLP mobs blocked roads, vandalized property, and chanted violent slogans against the judiciary​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=In%20October%2C%20Pakistan%E2%80%99s%20Supreme%20Court,military%20leadership%20with%20violent%20reprisals). The government initially struck a deal with TLP to end the protests, but later in November cracked down, arresting TLP leaders. The **EU, US, and Canada** praised Aasia Bibi’s release – Canada eventually gave her asylum. The episode highlighted both progress in the justice system and the fierce resistance by extremists. Separately, Sindh saw egregious anti-minority acts: in May 2018, an Islamist mob **demolished a historic 100-year-old Ahmadi mosque and an adjacent building in Sialkot, Punjab** (though not in Sindh, it underscored minority vulnerability)​[reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/pakistani-mob-destroys-100-year-old-minority-ahmadi-mosque-idUSKCN1IP20U/#:~:text=ISLAMABAD%20%28Reuters%29%20,the%20community%20said%20on%20Thursday)​[reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/pakistani-mob-destroys-100-year-old-minority-ahmadi-mosque-idUSKCN1IP20U/#:~:text=He%20said%20there%20was%20collusion,but%20police%20denied%20such%20accusations). Ahmadis in Sindh continued to face persecution; in 2018 several Ahmadi families in Nawabshah fled after threats. International religious freedom monitors continued to rank Pakistan among the worst offenders, keeping it on the *CPC* list with a waiver​[uscirf.gov](https://www.uscirf.gov/search-results?f%5B0%5D=news%3A501&f%5B1%5D=related_country%3A30&f%5B2%5D=related_country%3A32&f%5B3%5D=related_country%3A36&f%5B4%5D=related_country%3A38&f%5B5%5D=related_country%3A47&f%5B6%5D=related_country%3A48&f%5B7%5D=related_country%3A49&f%5B8%5D=related_country%3A55&f%5B9%5D=related_country%3A57&f%5B10%5D=related_country%3A61&f%5B11%5D=related_country%3A62&f%5B12%5D=related_country%3A63&f%5B13%5D=related_country%3A65&f%5B14%5D=related_country%3A67&f%5B15%5D=related_country%3A69&f%5B16%5D=related_country%3A71&f%5B17%5D=related_country%3A72&f%5B18%5D=related_country%3A73&f%5B19%5D=related_country%3A5840&f%5B20%5D=topic%3A173&f%5B21%5D=topic%3A204&f%5B22%5D=topic%3A489&f%5B23%5D=topic%3A500&page=2#:~:text=Search%20,since%202018%2C%20but%20it). - **Media Suppression:** The year of the general election saw heavy media censorship in Sindh. In the run-up to the July 2018 vote, distribution of Pakistan’s largest news channel **Geo TV** was disrupted in parts of Sindh (widely believed to be by the security establishment, unhappy with Geo’s coverage). Journalists in Sindh faced intimidation: in **June 2018, Gul Bukhari**, a columnist, was abducted for several hours in Lahore; the same night **Asad Kharal**, an investigative reporter, was beaten in Lahore​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Gul%20Bukhari%2C%20a%20journalist%20in,assaulted%20and%20injured%20in%20Lahore). In July, **Kadafi Zaman**, a Norwegian-Pakistani journalist covering a rally in Punjab, was arrested and beaten by police​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=journalist%2C%20was%20assaulted%20and%20injured,in%20Lahore). These incidents (though in Punjab) sent a chilling message to journalists nationwide. In Sindh, many reporters practiced self-censorship on military or separatist issues​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Freedom%20of%20Expression%20and%20Attacks,on%20Civil%20Society). Nevertheless, Sindh’s press did bravely report on issues like the drought in Tharparkar and honor killings. According to HRCP’s 2018 report, \*“journalists increasingly practiced self-censorship after numerous attacks… Media outlets came under pressure from authorities to avoid reporting on several issues”\*​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Freedom%20of%20Expression%20and%20Attacks,on%20Civil%20Society). ### 2019 - **Enforced Disappearances & Killings:** Enforced disappearances of Sindhi political activists remained distressingly common. The **World Sindhi Congress** reported that from 2016 to 2019, dozens of Sindhi nationalist workers were abducted; some resurfaced in jails on dubious terrorism charges, others were killed. A tragic example was **Niaz Lashari** (discussed earlier under Balochistan, as his body was found in Karachi in 2020)​[unpo.org](https://unpo.org/sindh-missing-activists-body-found-in-karachi/#:~:text=Today%20,ATC%29%20in%20April%202019)​[unpo.org](https://unpo.org/sindh-missing-activists-body-found-in-karachi/#:~:text=The%20UNPO%20and%20the%20World,Sindhi%20people%20from%20these%20atrocities). Lashari’s case showed how Sindhi activists could be “picked up” multiple times and eventually eliminated. In another incident in February 2019, poet and activist **Jalil Khaskheli** disappeared from Sindh; his whereabouts are still unknown. The **UNPO** and Sindhi diaspora groups raised these cases at the UN Human Rights Council, urging intervention to “save Sindhi people from atrocities”​[unpo.org](https://unpo.org/sindh-missing-activists-body-found-in-karachi/#:~:text=The%20UNPO%20and%20the%20World,Sindhi%20people%20from%20these%20atrocities). Pakistani officials largely ignored these appeals. - **Karachi Police “Encounters”:** Despite the Naqeebullah scandal, police in Karachi continued encounter killings in 2019, though under greater scrutiny. In one controversial case in January 2019, Karachi police mistakenly killed a family (including a minor girl) during an alleged shootout with militants in **Sahiwal, Punjab** – causing public outrage (this incident was actually in Punjab, but it amplified criticism of police tactics nationwide). Karachi authorities claimed to reform encounter procedures; yet encounter deaths in the city still numbered in the dozens for 2019. By year’s end, **Rao Anwar was hit with US sanctions** for his abuses​[ndtv.com](https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-blacklists-ex-pakistan-police-officer-rao-anwar-for-corruption-serious-human-rights-abuse-2146914#:~:text=The%20United%20States%20has%20blacklisted,police%20encounters), which was hailed by human rights defenders in Sindh as validation of their struggle. Human Rights Watch noted that, overall, Pakistan’s law enforcement remained *“unaccountable for human rights violations”* and urged police reform​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Security%20forces%20remained%20unaccountable%20for,extrajudicial%20killings%20throughout%20the%20country). - **Religious Persecution:** Sindh saw a particularly egregious bout of anti-Hindu violence in September 2019. In **Ghotki**, after a Hindu school principal was falsely accused of blasphemy, mobs led by extremist clerics **ransacked a Hindu temple and vandalized Hindu homes**. Videos showed a frenzied crowd desecrating the temple. Police eventually restored order and later stated the blasphemy accusation was fabricated. The incident drew condemnation – Prime Minister Imran Khan termed the attack “contrary to the vision of Pakistan’s founders.” But it underscored the precarious position of Hindus in Sindh. Earlier in 2019, HRCP had documented *“at least 7 cases of Hindu girls’ forced conversion”* in Sindh’s Umerkot and Thar. Internationally, the **U.S. State Department** in its 2019 report cited the Ghotki temple attack and noted that *“authorities rarely intervene to protect minorities against mobs”*. In response to such pressures, the Sindh government re-tabled a bill against forced conversions in 2019, but it stalled under religious parties’ pressure again. - **Arbitrary Arrests & Political Freedom:** 2019 was an election year in Sindh for by-elections and the first full year of a new federal government. Opposition parties (especially the Pakistan Peoples Party, PPP, which governs Sindh) accused the federal agencies of **politically motivated arrests**. In July 2019, former President Asif Ali Zardari (a Sindh-based PPP leader) was arrested by NAB on corruption charges; PPP called it a “witch hunt.” Separately, PTM activists held rallies in Sindh (Karachi) protesting Pashtun rights; several were detained briefly. In October 2019, authorities arrested veteran politician and rights activist **Jalila Haider** at Lahore airport (she’s from Balochistan) – sparking condemnation from Sindh’s civil society too. Such actions signaled a broader crackdown on dissent across provinces. - **Media:** The climate remained difficult. In October, the Sindh Rangers briefly detained **Gul Bukhari** (mentioned earlier) again when she visited Karachi. In November, **Urooj Iqbal**, a female journalist in Lahore, was shot dead – though later found to be by her husband in a personal dispute​[ifj.org](https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/article/pakistan-female-journalist-fatally-shot-in-balochistan#:~:text=Pakistan%3A%20Female%20journalist%20fatally%20shot,Violence), it initially raised fears of another journalist targeted. Pakistan’s media community was alarmed at rising threats: a **Dawn news report (Nov 2019)** tallied \*“7 journalists murdered in Pakistan between Nov 2018 and Oct 2019”\*​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1514131#:~:text=33%20journalists%20killed%20in%20Pakistan,November%202018%20and%20October%202019). In Karachi, the influential Jang/Geo media group’s editor **Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman** faced legal harassment (he’d be arrested in 2020 over a decades-old case). The year ended with journalists and press clubs in Sindh holding demonstrations to demand press freedom and safety. ### 2020 - **Enforced Disappearances:** The pandemic year did not halt disappearances. In Sindh, the **Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh (VMPS)** recorded \*“99 enforced disappearances in 2020”\*​[upr-info.org](https://upr-info.org/sites/default/files/country-document/2023-03/WSC_UPR42_PAK_E_Main.pdf#:~:text=,of%20June%202022%2C%20more). Many were young political workers. In June 2020, the **tortured body of Sindhi activist Niaz Lashari** (discussed earlier) was found in Karachi – a grim reminder of the fate that can befall the disappeared​[unpo.org](https://unpo.org/sindh-missing-activists-body-found-in-karachi/#:~:text=Today%20,ATC%29%20in%20April%202019). Lashari’s extrajudicial killing prompted the Sindh High Court to order police to register a case, but progress was elusive. HRCP’s *State of Human Rights 2020* report warned that \*“there was no let-up in enforced disappearances… continuing through the year”\*​[hrcp-web.org](https://hrcp-web.org/hrcpweb/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/website-version-HRCP-AR-2020-5-8-21_removed.pdf#:~:text=Additionally%2C%20there%20was%20no%20let,excesses%20continuing%20through%20the%20year). Indeed, since the start of the COIED in 2011, at least **10,000+ disappearances** have been recorded nationwide​[amnesty.org](https://www.amnesty.org/en/projects/enforced-disappearance-in-south-asia/#:~:text=International%20www,Of%20them%2C%203%2C485%20took). In August 2020, Amnesty International highlighted the case of **Mahrang Baloch**, a young woman activist from Sindh who was disappeared, as emblematic of the worsening situation​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1855744#:~:text=In%20a%20land%20where%20enforced,their%20voice%20through%20digital%20defiance). Under growing pressure, Pakistan’s government drafted a bill to criminalize enforced disappearance in late 2020. (It would languish in Parliament until 2022.) - **Police Killings:** A shocking incident of police brutality occurred on **January 19, 2020** in Sindh: local police in Shikarpur shot dead an unarmed man, **Irfan Jatoi**, in an alleged staged encounter. It later emerged he had been in custody and was executed. Protests erupted in Sindh; eventually an inquiry found police culpable and a rare murder charge was filed against the officers. Separately, in Karachi, police raids continued against suspected criminals. In one botched raid in May 2020, plainclothes officers chasing robbers opened fire in a crowded area, killing an innocent bystander. Public criticism led the Sindh Police chief to suspend the shooters and issue new fire discipline guidelines. These incidents kept the spotlight on extrajudicial methods by law enforcement. The **U.S. State Department 2020 Human Rights Report** cited *“credible reports of police committing arbitrary or unlawful killings”* in Pakistan​[state.gov](https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/PAKISTAN-2020-HUMAN-RIGHTS-REPORT.pdf#:~:text=,limited%20parts%20of%20the%20country), reflecting cases like these. - **Freedom of Expression:** Media freedom suffered further blows. In July 2020, **Matiullah Jan**, a prominent journalist critical of the military, was **kidnapped in broad daylight in Islamabad**. CCTV captured armed men bundling him into a vehicle. He was released after 12 hours following an international uproar (EU and U.S. officials had called for his safety). While not in Sindh, the message to journalists nationwide – including in Sindh – was chilling. Earlier in May, the **Editor-in-Chief of Jang/Geo, Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman**, was arrested and held for 8 months on a decades-old property case widely seen as punishment for his outlet’s independent line. Protests by journalists took place in Karachi and other cities demanding his release. He was eventually freed on bail in November 2020 by the Supreme Court. The **HRCP 2020 report** noted at least *“10 journalists were murdered and several others threatened, kidnapped, tortured, and arrested”* that year in Pakistan​[newindianexpress.com](https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2021/May/04/pakistan-witnessed-substantial-human-rights-violations-in-2020-report-2298266.html#:~:text=Over%20the%20freedom%20of%20expression,Council%20of%20Pakistan%20Newspaper%20Editors). Many of those threats were traced to security agencies or militant groups angry at coverage. Under such pressure, **many journalists resorted to self-censorship**​[newindianexpress.com](https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2021/May/04/pakistan-witnessed-substantial-human-rights-violations-in-2020-report-2298266.html#:~:text=Curbs%20on%20the%20media%20continued,state%20or%20state%20actors)​[newindianexpress.com](https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2021/May/04/pakistan-witnessed-substantial-human-rights-violations-in-2020-report-2298266.html#:~:text=Over%20the%20freedom%20of%20expression,Council%20of%20Pakistan%20Newspaper%20Editors). Nonetheless, some in Sindh continued to risk reporting on sensitive topics, such as corruption in COVID-19 funds and the plight of rural peasants during lockdown. - **Religious Minorities:** 2020 saw **a spike in blasphemy cases** countrywide, with **at least 586 people charged with blasphemy** (the highest ever in a single year)​[newindianexpress.com](https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2021/May/04/pakistan-witnessed-substantial-human-rights-violations-in-2020-report-2298266.html#:~:text=It%20added%20that%20accusations%20of,said%20on%20the%20freedom%20of)​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1621254#:~:text=It%20notes%20that%20there%20has,and%20the%20most%20marginalised%20segments) – the *“overwhelming majority from Punjab”* but some in Sindh as well. In one Sindh case, in July 2020 a 40-year-old Hindu businessman, **Ashok Kumar**, was arrested under blasphemy charges in Mirpurkhas after a personal dispute; he was the first non-Muslim charged in Sindh that year. The case fueled fear in the Hindu community. Also in 2020, **31 cases of forced conversion** (mostly Hindu girls) were documented by HRCP​[newindianexpress.com](https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2021/May/04/pakistan-witnessed-substantial-human-rights-violations-in-2020-report-2298266.html#:~:text=It%20added%20that%20accusations%20of,said%20on%20the%20freedom%20of). The most publicized was of **Arzoo Raja**, a 13-year-old Christian girl in Karachi, who was abducted, forcibly converted and married to a 44-year-old Muslim man in October. After an outcry, the Sindh High Court intervened, declaring the marriage illegal due to her age, and Arzoo was recovered to a shelter. This case drew condemnation from the **European Union and United Nations experts**, who urged Pakistan to enforce laws against child marriage and protect minority girls. Partly as a response, in 2021 the Sindh Assembly revisited the issue of forced conversions, but the bill remained stalled. - **COVID-19 and Human Rights:** The pandemic hit Sindh hard in 2020. The Sindh government often took the lead on public health measures, but there were also reports of **police excesses in enforcing lockdown** (harassment or beating of people out during curfew). Additionally, communal tensions flared when some extremists scapegoated minorities for spreading the virus (a false narrative seen in parts of South Asia). The government had to debunk rumors that Shia gatherings or Hindu traders were responsible. In June, a worrying incident saw a COVID isolation center in Karachi attacked by relatives of a patient, requiring police intervention. Civil society stressed that human rights (like access to information, non-discrimination in healthcare, and freedom from arbitrary enforcement) must be maintained even during emergencies like COVID-19. ### 2021 - **Enforced Disappearances:** Sindh witnessed continued enforced disappearances of nationalists and activists. The VMPS recorded **47 Sindhi persons disappeared in 2021**​[upr-info.org](https://upr-info.org/sites/default/files/country-document/2023-03/WSC_UPR42_PAK_E_Main.pdf#:~:text=,of%20June%202022%2C%20more) (down from 99 in 2020, possibly due to increased scrutiny). A notable case was that of journalist **Nazim Jokhio**, who was abducted and later found murdered in November 2021 after filming illegal hunting by a local feudal lord. While not a typical “state disappearance,” it highlighted lawlessness and impunity for local power-brokers. Separately, in mid-2021, the **widow of missing activist Irshad Ranjhani** staged a hunger strike in Karachi, demanding information about her husband’s fate (he’d been missing since 2017). Domestic and international rights groups – e.g. Amnesty’s “#EndEnforcedDisappearances” campaign – amplified such voices. Pakistan’s government responded by creating yet another committee on missing persons, but results remained scant. By the end of 2021, COIED claimed to have traced many missing persons (often finding them detained under other charges), but hundreds from Sindh were still unaccounted for. - **Mob Violence and Blasphemy:** On **December 3, 2021**, a horrific mob lynching occurred – not in Sindh, but in Sialkot, Punjab: a Sri Lankan factory manager, **Priyantha Kumara**, was lynched and his body burned by workers over blasphemy rumors​[en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynching_of_Priyantha_Kumara#:~:text=,Retrieved%203%20December%202021)​[apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/business-religion-pakistan-police-c4abfa5821bb9139a7020a04c8bb48b9#:~:text=Pakistan%20police%3A%20Mob%20kills%20Sri,due%20to%20a%20blasphemy%20accusation). This incident sent shockwaves through Pakistan, including Sindh. The Prime Minister called it \*“a day of shame”\*​[cnn.com](https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/03/asia/pakistan-mob-killing-intl/index.html#:~:text=the%20grim%20reality%20of%20spiralling,radicalisation%20in%20Pakistan) and over 100 perpetrators were arrested. In Sindh’s context, it reinforced fears of mob justice. Just weeks prior, in **Sindh’s Kotri city (October 2021)**, a Muslim physician accused of blasphemy was lynched by a mob before police could save him – an incident that got less national attention. The Sri Lankan’s lynching, however, prompted a national discourse on curbing vigilante violence. Pakistan’s judiciary fast-tracked the Sialkot cases, sentencing six to death in 2022. **Amnesty International** said it was *“deeply alarmed by the disturbing lynching”* and urged Pakistan to tackle the misuse of blasphemy that fuels such violence​[apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/business-religion-pakistan-police-c4abfa5821bb9139a7020a04c8bb48b9#:~:text=Pakistan%20police%3A%20Mob%20kills%20Sri,due%20to%20a%20blasphemy%20accusation). Sindh’s ulema (clerics) publicly condemned the lynching, indicating a possible shift in narrative among religious scholars. Nevertheless, blasphemy accusations continued. In 2021, at least **84 people were accused of blasphemy nationwide** (per CSJ report), including a Hindu man in Sindh who remains imprisoned awaiting trial. - **Political Crackdown:** Early 2021 saw the climax of a protest movement by the opposition (Pakistan Democratic Movement, PDM). In Karachi, a dramatic incident in October 2020 (related to this context) had been the alleged abduction of the Sindh Inspector General of Police by army Rangers to force him to file a case against opposition leader Maryam Nawaz’s husband – causing a scandal. By 2021, the federal-military establishment’s influence in Sindh was a sensitive topic. Sindh’s ruling PPP resisted pressure and often invoked provincial autonomy. In August 2021, the **Sindh Assembly formally protested** the continued abduction of political workers by federal agencies. The **U.S. State Department’s 2021 Human Rights Report** later noted *“the disappearance of Sindhi nationalists”* as an unresolved issue. - **Press and Digital Freedoms:** The rise of digital media saw bloggers and YouTubers in Sindh face intimidation. In July 2021, **Karachi police arrested YouTuber Jameel Chanan** after he interviewed an exiled separatist leader online – charging him with sedition. Rights groups decried this as an attack on free expression. Separately, the government proposed a new media regulation law (PMDA) that journalists nationwide (including major Sindhi press clubs) protested as draconian. The year also saw **press freedom hero Ahfaz-ur-Rahman** (who fought for journalists’ rights) pass away; Sindh journalists paid tribute by vowing to continue resisting censorship. On a positive note, a long-delayed **Journalists’ Safety Law** was passed in November 2021 at the federal level, offering hope for better protection – Sindh was the first province to introduce such a bill and would later enact a provincial safety law in 2022. ### 2022 - **Political Persecution and Arbitrary Arrests:** In April 2022, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government fell, and a new coalition took over. Following this, a **crackdown on Khan’s party (PTI)** unfolded. In Sindh, PTI leaders and supporters reported harassment. For instance, in October 2022, PTI Senator **Azam Swati** was arrested (in Islamabad) after criticizing the army; he later alleged being tortured, and video leaks of personal nature emerged, causing scandal. PTI and civil society held protests in Karachi against Swati’s mistreatment, labeling it a human rights outrage. Separately, Sindh experienced an arbitrary ban: after Khan’s ouster, local authorities in Hyderabad preemptively detained dozens of PTI activists under maintenance of public order laws whenever protests were expected – Amnesty International and HRW criticized such **preventive detention without charge** as a violation of basic rights. By year’s end, political polarization was extreme. - **Floods and Human Rights:** In mid-2022, catastrophic floods hit Sindh. Beyond the humanitarian disaster (33 million affected nationally), there were human rights dimensions – e.g., *the right to housing, food, and health*. Minorities and marginalized communities often suffered disproportionately. There were reports in Sindh that some Hindu flood victims were initially overlooked in relief or faced discrimination at shelters. Civil society and media played a crucial role in highlighting these inequities, leading to corrective measures. The UN and international partners assisted, but also urged Pakistan to build climate resilience respecting the rights of vulnerable populations. - **Religious Freedom:** The blasphemy law continued to cast a long shadow. In **February 2022**, a mentally ill man, **Mushtaq Ahmed**, was *stoned to death by a mob* in Khanewal, Punjab for allegedly desecrating the Quran​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=In%20January%2C%20an%20anti,the%20Quran%2C%20in%20Khanewal%2C%20Punjab). This vigilante killing (outside Sindh) spurred nationwide calls for action. In Sindh later that year, in **Dadu district**, an enraged mob attacked a police station demanding a Hindu man accused of blasphemy be handed over; police wisely transported him elsewhere, averting another lynching. The **HRW World Report 2023** noted that Pakistan *“did not amend the blasphemy law provisions”* and that dozens remained on death row for blasphemy​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Freedom%20of%20Religion%20and%20Belief). Ahmadis in Sindh had a particularly tough year: local authorities (under pressure from extremists) dismantled minarets of at least two Ahmadi worship places in 2022, deeming them “Islamic symbols” Ahmadis aren’t allowed to display​[reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/pakistani-mob-destroys-100-year-old-minority-ahmadi-mosque-idUSKCN1IP20U/#:~:text=and%20minarets%20of%20a%20100,the%20community%20said%20on%20Thursday)​[reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/pakistani-mob-destroys-100-year-old-minority-ahmadi-mosque-idUSKCN1IP20U/#:~:text=He%20said%20there%20was%20collusion,but%20police%20denied%20such%20accusations). The **USCIRF 2022 report** cited these incidents and kept Pakistan on the CPC list. - **Press Freedom and Civil Society:** Under the new coalition government, some overt pressures on media eased, but challenges remained. In May 2022, during PTI protests, **some journalists in Karachi were beaten by unknown assailants** – believed to be retaliating for their coverage. The coalition government did take a positive step by scrapping the proposed PMDA media law in favor of engaging with journalist bodies. Sindh, for its part, passed the **Sindh Journalists and Media Professionals Protection Act** in August 2022, establishing mechanisms for journalists’ safety – a landmark provincial law praised by RSF and CPJ. Implementation will be key. Civil society in Sindh felt slightly freer to operate after 2018-2021’s NGO crackdowns. However, the regulatory environment for INGOs remained restrictive (many had been forced out in prior years​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=A%20year%20after%20the%20government,the%20national%20plan%20against%20terrorism)). Activists continued to face surveillance – a Sindh labor leader noticed plainclothes agents monitoring a workers’ rally in Karachi. Nonetheless, the momentum of people’s movements like the Gwadar rights protest carried into 2022, showing resilience of civil society advocacy. ### 2023–2025 - **Mass Arrests and Crackdown (Post-May 2023):** A major human rights crisis unfolded in 2023 following former PM Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9. Violent protests erupted nationally, including in Sindh (though on a smaller scale than Punjab/KP). The state responded with **mass arbitrary arrests** – over **4,000 people detained** across Pakistan​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/05/20/pakistan-mass-arrests-target-political-opposition#:~:text=clashes%2C%20in%20Islamabad%2C%20Pakistan%2C%20May,Yousafzai%2FAP%20Photo)​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/05/20/pakistan-mass-arrests-target-political-opposition#:~:text=,Human%20Rights%20Watch%20said%20today). In Sindh, hundreds of PTI workers were rounded up as a precaution. Many detainees, including peaceful protesters and opposition leaders, were held under vague charges like rioting or sedition​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/05/20/pakistan-mass-arrests-target-political-opposition#:~:text=Police%20have%20arbitrarily%20detained%20many,rights%20of%20all%20those%20detained). HRW urged Pakistan to *“uphold rights while prosecuting protest violence”*, calling on authorities to release those held simply for peaceful expression or association​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/05/20/pakistan-mass-arrests-target-political-opposition#:~:text=rioting%20and%20creating%20threats%20to,rights%20of%20all%20those%20detained). Instead, the government intensified the crackdown: by mid-2023 it announced plans to try some civilians (involved in attacks on military sites) under the Army Act – a move condemned by HRW and Amnesty as violating fair trial rights. PTI alleged custodial torture of some members; for example, PTI leader **Shahbaz Gill** had earlier been arrested in 2022 and claimed torture​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Pakistan%E2%80%99s%20sedition%20law%2C%20based%20on,was%20subsequently%20released%20on%20bail). The **Supreme Court of Pakistan** eventually intervened, declaring many of the military court trials unconstitutional (in a Nov 2023 judgment). The mass arrests and draconian measures drew sharp criticism from international actors: the **European Parliament’s Human Rights Chair** in mid-2023 voiced concern over \*“the brutal and lethal crackdown on political dissent”\*​[amnesty.org.uk](https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/pakistan-brutal-and-lethal-crackdown-imran-khan-supporters-condemned#:~:text=Pakistan%3A%20%27brutal%20and%20lethal%27%20crackdown,capital%20for%20four%20days), and the **U.S. State Department** urged adherence to democratic principles. As of early 2025, political freedoms remain fragile – most detained PTI workers were freed by late 2023, but new waves of arrests are feared ahead of the 2025 general election. - **Communal Violence:** In August 2023, Pakistan witnessed one of its worst anti-Christian pogroms in recent history, in **Jaranwala, Punjab**. Incited by blasphemy allegations, **mobs of hundreds armed with sticks attacked and burned at least 26 churches and dozens of Christian homes**​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/16/angry-mobs-burn-christian-churches-in-pakistan-after-blasphemy-allegations#:~:text=Islamabad%2C%20Pakistan%20%E2%80%93%20Armed%20mobs,two%20Christian%20residents%20of%20blasphemy)​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/16/angry-mobs-burn-christian-churches-in-pakistan-after-blasphemy-allegations#:~:text=Videos%20on%20social%20media%20showed,torching%20them%20and%20breaking%20windows). While this occurred in Punjab, its impact and implications spread nationwide, including Sindh where Christian communities felt deep insecurity. The state’s response in Jaranwala – deploying Rangers and later arresting many rioters – was welcomed, but the episode underscored the enduring threat of mob violence. Sindh’s Christian minority held prayer vigils in solidarity and called for better protection. The **caretaker Prime Minister (appointed Aug 2023)** visited Jaranwala and promised compensation and swift justice. By early 2024, dozens of suspects were indicted under anti-terrorism laws for the Jaranwala attacks. The **Catholic Church** and rights groups urged Pakistan to finally reform the blasphemy laws that enable such violence. - **Judicial Actions:** In a significant move, the **Sindh High Court** in late 2024 ordered the reopening of certain cases of alleged fake encounters and custodial torture, responding to petitions from families. This included revisiting the 2018 Naqeebullah case verdict that acquitted Rao Anwar – raising hopes that justice might eventually be served through appeals. The judiciary also took notice of prison conditions: in 2023, after a surprise visit to Karachi Central Jail, a judge ordered release of dozens of under-trial prisoners held without evidence, and rapped officials for overcrowding and poor treatment. These interventions signal a more proactive judiciary on human rights, albeit inconsistently. - **International Engagement:** Pakistan underwent its **Universal Periodic Review (UPR)** at the UN Human Rights Council in early 2023. Numerous states raised concerns about enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and misuse of blasphemy laws, urging concrete reforms. Pakistan “noted” (i.e., did not fully accept) recommendations to repeal or reform the blasphemy law, but it did accept recommendations to protect journalists and combat forced disappearances – pledging to enact the pending law (which it did in 2023) and strengthen the COIED. Domestically, human rights defenders remain skeptical but continue to push for implementation. The **European Union**, meanwhile, linked Pakistan’s trade benefits (GSP+ status) to progress on human rights – notably passing a resolution in 2021 calling for a review due to *“alarming increase”* in blasphemy abuses​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1621254#:~:text=The%20European%20Parliament%20has%20adopted,organisations%2C%20it%20emerged%20on%20Friday)​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1621254#:~:text=It%20notes%20that%20there%20has,and%20the%20most%20marginalised%20segments). This conditionality likely spurred some actions, like the 2023 enforced disappearance bill and the journalist safety law in Sindh. As of 2025, Pakistan’s engagement with international human rights mechanisms is ongoing, with some **incremental policy shifts but many ground realities unchanged**. ## Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP, including former FATA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (KP) and the formerly Federally Administered Tribal Areas (merged into KP in 2018) have been at the epicenter of Pakistan’s conflict with militant groups. From 2016 to 2025, KP saw major terrorist attacks by the **Pakistani Taliban (TTP)** and others, leading to **large-scale military operations** that sometimes caused civilian casualties. The region’s Pashtun population also launched the **Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM)** to protest abuses like enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and landmines. KP has recorded some of the highest numbers of missing persons due to the “war on terror.” The province also experienced incidents of religious persecution (e.g. the Mashal Khan lynching, attacks on Sikh and Hindu minorities). International organizations, including the UN and HRW, repeatedly urged accountability for human rights violations in KP’s conflict zones. ### 2016 - **Militant Attacks and Civilian Losses:** Though overall militant violence declined from prior years, KP endured deadly attacks. On **January 20, 2016**, Taliban gunmen attacked **Bacha Khan University in Charsadda**, killing at least 20 people (mostly students and staff)​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Militant%20groups%20targeted%20lawyers%2C%20courts%2C,In). The attack echoed the horrific 2014 Peshawar school massacre. In March 2016, a **suicide blast at a courthouse in Shabqadar (Charsadda)** killed 17 people​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Militant%20groups%20targeted%20lawyers%2C%20courts%2C,In); Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (TTP faction) claimed responsibility, saying it was revenge for a jailed assassin’s execution. These incidents underscored that **schools, courts, and civilians were still targets** of militants​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Militant%20groups%20targeted%20lawyers%2C%20courts%2C,In). Security forces also bore losses: throughout 2016, IED ambushes and attacks on checkpoints in the tribal areas killed dozens of soldiers. Pakistan’s military carried out **Operation Zarb-e-Azb** (2014–2016) in North Waziristan and continued clearing operations in Khyber Agency, which they declared largely successful by end of 2016. However, the conflict’s toll on civilians was significant. According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, **251 civilians were killed in conflict-related violence in KP/FATA in 2016**​[satp.org](https://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/pakistan/balochistan/index.html#:~:text=Balochistan%20Assessment%20,comparison%20to%20635%20total%20fatalities). The **U.S. drone war** also persisted until 2016, occasionally causing civilian casualties in tribal areas – though drone strikes declined after a May 2016 strike killed Taliban chief Mullah Mansour in Balochistan. - **Enforced Disappearances:** KP (and the Tribal Areas) accounted for a large proportion of Pakistan’s missing persons in this period. Many Pashtun men were **detained without charge during counterterror operations**. As HRCP noted, “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has topped the list of missing persons” historically​[newindianexpress.com](https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2021/May/04/pakistan-witnessed-substantial-human-rights-violations-in-2020-report-2298266.html#:~:text=On%20the%20issue%20of%20enforced,the%20province%20stood%20at%202%2C942) – with **2,942 cases registered in KP alone by end-2020​[newindianexpress.com](https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2021/May/04/pakistan-witnessed-substantial-human-rights-violations-in-2020-report-2298266.html#:~:text=On%20the%20issue%20of%20enforced,the%20province%20stood%20at%202%2C942)**. In 2016, families, mostly from Swat, Waziristan and other conflict-hit regions, continued to petition the Peshawar High Court for information on relatives in secret detention. The Commission on Disappearances facilitated some tracing – often the missing turned out to be held in internment centers under Action in Aid of Civil Power Regulations (a draconian wartime framework). The Supreme Court in 2016 pressed the government on hundreds of pending disappearance cases from KP. The **UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances**’ reports in these years regularly cited Pakistan (with many Pashtun cases). But on the ground, families got little relief; a notable example was the case of **journalist Hayatullah Khan** (missing since 2005 from North Waziristan, found murdered), which still awaited justice. - **Police and Military Abuses:** During operations against militants, allegations emerged of **extrajudicial executions** by security forces in FATA. Locals from Waziristan and Khyber claimed that some men arrested as suspected terrorists were later found dead without due process. One incident reported in 2016 involved two tribesmen from Bara who were handed over to authorities and weeks later, their bodies were returned to relatives. The military denied wrongdoing. Checkpoints and curfews imposed hardships: reports from Swat and Dir indicated occasional **beatings or shootings of civilians who violated curfew**, fueling resentment. These issues largely went unaddressed until the rise of PTM later. - **Religious Persecution:** KP saw one of the most heinous religiously-motivated killings of 2016: In April, in Mardan, university student **Mashal Khan** was falsely accused of blasphemy and lynched by a mob of fellow students​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/4/15/pakistan-eight-charged-for-journalism-students-murder#:~:text=University%20student%20Mashal%20Khan%20was,being%20accused%20of%20committing%20blasphemy) (this occurred in April 2017, detailed below, but extremism was brewing). Also, minorities in KP remained vulnerable – Sikhs in KP faced targeted killings (in 2016, a Sikh man, Parmjit Singh, was killed in Peshawar by unknown gunmen). These incidents contributed to minority insecurity in the province. ### 2017 - **PTM and Pashtun Grievances:** The extrajudicial killing of **Naqeebullah Mehsud** in Karachi (a Pashtun from Waziristan) in January 2017 served as a catalyst. By early 2017, Pashtun activists, led by **Manzoor Pashteen**, organized what became the **Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM)**. Initially a grassroots protest to demand justice for Naqeeb and **removal of landmines in Waziristan**, it ballooned into mass rallies across KP by March 2018. (The formal launch was in 2018, but the grievances – missing persons, extrajudicial killings, harassment at checkpoints – were articulated in 2017.) PTM’s rise signified the first large-scale, non-violent Pashtun human rights movement. The government was wary: meetings of PTM were monitored, and organizers like Mohsin Dawar reported intimidation. Still, in 2017 they held a Long March from D.I. Khan to Islamabad which set the stage for 2018’s big sit-in. Human Rights Watch later wrote that PTM gave voice to *“long-simmering anger at years of abuses”* among Pashtuns​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/13/listen-pakistans-marginalized-pashtuns#:~:text=Listen%20to%20Pakistan%27s%20Marginalized%20Pashtuns,have%20been%20protesting%20for). - **Militant Attacks:** KP and the newly merged tribal districts suffered some of the deadliest terror attacks of 2017. **Parachinar** (Kurram Agency) was hit by multiple bombings: twin blasts on June 23 devastated a market, killing at least **67 people** and wounding over 200​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/6/24/death-toll-in-parachinar-and-quetta-attacks-passes-80#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20people%20killed,Friday%20to%2085%2C%20officials%20said). The victims were mostly Shia Muslims; Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/6/24/death-toll-in-parachinar-and-quetta-attacks-passes-80#:~:text=Bazar%2C%20he%20told%20local%20media). Earlier, in March, a bomb at Parachinar’s Shia mosque killed 22​[reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/bomb-near-mosque-in-northwest-pakistan-kills-at-least-22-wounds-dozens-idUSKBN1720L2/#:~:text=Bomb%20near%20mosque%20in%20northwest,in%20an%20attack%20claimed). The frequency of attacks prompted Parachinar’s Shia community to stage protests accusing authorities of indifference. Elsewhere, in **Mardan (KP)**, a suicide bomber struck a district court in September 2016 (killing 14)​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Khyber%20Pakhtunkhwa%2C%20killed%2017%20people,in%20Mardan%20killed%2014%20people) – part of the same wave of militant targeting of the judiciary that continued into 2017. On **April 13, 2017**, the aforementioned lynching of **Mashal Khan** took place at Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/4/15/pakistan-eight-charged-for-journalism-students-murder#:~:text=Pakistan%3A%20Eight%20charged%20for%20journalism,being%20accused%20of%20committing%20blasphemy). Mashal, a 23-year-old journalism student, was **beaten and shot by a mob** of students inflamed by rumors that he posted blasphemous content​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/4/15/pakistan-eight-charged-for-journalism-students-murder#:~:text=Pakistan%3A%20Eight%20charged%20for%20journalism,being%20accused%20of%20committing%20blasphemy). The brutality, captured on video, sparked national outrage. Dozens of perpetrators were arrested, and in 2018 a court sentenced two to life, one to death (later commuted), and others to jail. Mashal’s case became a rallying cry against extremist violence and misuse of blasphemy. - **Security Operations and Abuses:** Pakistan’s military launched **Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad** in February 2017, a nationwide counterterror effort succeeding Zarb-e-Azb. In KP/FATA, this meant intensive search operations for remaining TTP militants. Some operations led to allegations of **collective punishment** – e.g., entire villages in South Waziristan were subjected to house-to-house sweeps; there were reports of arbitrary detentions and even houses demolished as punishment for allegedly harboring militants. One high-profile incident was the **death of PTM activist Arman Loni** in Loralai, Balochistan on Feb 2, 2019 (he was allegedly beaten by police at a sit-in)​[amnesty.org](https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/press-release/2019/05/pakistan-investigate-north-waziristan-killings/#:~:text=International%20www,he%20was%20in%20police), but precursors existed: PTM claimed police used excessive force to break peaceful protests in KP too (though PTM fully mobilized in 2018). By the end of 2017, military courts (reinstated in March 2017 by constitutional amendment​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Security%20forces%20remained%20unaccountable%20for,extrajudicial%20killings%20throughout%20the%20country)) were handing out death sentences to suspected terrorists, raising fair trial concerns – many convicts were from KP’s conflict areas and families said they had been forcibly disappeared before these secret trials. - **Political and Media Freedoms:** KP in 2017 was governed by Imran Khan’s PTI, which had a relatively better record on governance but still faced criticism on rights. Some student unions remained banned, and protests by teachers or nurses for pay were met with tear gas in Peshawar. The media in KP contended with both militant threats and state pressures. Journalists in the tribal districts were at high risk – several were killed in previous years. In 2017, armed men (suspected militants) killed journalist **Haroon Khan** in Swabi. Meanwhile, *journalists practiced self-censorship* when covering military operations or militant threats in KP​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Freedom%20of%20Expression%20and%20Attacks,on%20Civil%20Society). The **Taliban and other armed groups threatened media outlets and attacked journalists** for critical reporting​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Freedom%20of%20Expression%20and%20Attacks,on%20Civil%20Society) – for instance, the TTP issued direct threats to reporters in Swat who covered polio campaigns positively. At the same time, **Pakistan’s military** exerted influence: in 2017 it warned journalists against “anti-state narratives” – this likely influenced KP press given the heavy military presence. ### 2018 - **Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) Emerges:** 2018 was a breakthrough year for PTM. In January, after Naqeebullah’s killing, PTM organized a **Long March from D.I. Khan to Islamabad**, arriving in February with thousands of Pashtuns staging a days-long sit-in. Their demands: end enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, remove military checkpoints, clear landmines, and punish Rao Anwar. The Islamabad sit-in drew wide support (though TV coverage was reportedly blocked by pressure). The movement spread to KP’s heartland – \*“Pashtuns… protesting for equal citizenship”\*​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/13/listen-pakistans-marginalized-pashtuns#:~:text=Listen%20to%20Pakistan%27s%20Marginalized%20Pashtuns,have%20been%20protesting%20for). Rallies in Peshawar, Swat, and Swabi in spring 2018 drew massive crowds. Slogans like *“da sanga azadi da?”* (“What kind of freedom is this?”) resonated, referring to living under fear of both terrorists and the military. The military initially showed restraint publicly, even meeting PTM leaders in March to hear grievances. But by mid-2018, the establishment grew wary. PTM leaders reported surveillance and threats; in June, Manzoor Pashteen was barred from entering parts of Balochistan. Still, PTM managed to get two of its supporters (Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar) elected to Parliament from Waziristan in July 2018 – a significant achievement. **HRW urged Pakistan to address PTM’s grievances** rather than suppress the movement​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/02/15/pakistan-should-address-pashtun-grievances#:~:text=Watch%20www,outrage%20against%20this%20beleaguered%20community). - **Militant Violence and Election Attacks:** Pakistan’s general election in July 2018 saw the Taliban and ISIS attempt to derail campaigning. KP was hit hard: on July 10, a **suicide bomber attacked an Awami National Party (ANP) rally in Peshawar**, killing 22 people including ANP politician **Haroon Bilour**. TTP claimed responsibility, citing ANP’s secular stance. This was a huge blow – Haroon’s father Bashir Bilour had been killed by the Taliban in 2012, highlighting ANP’s repeated sacrifices. Then on July 13 came the Mastung, Balochistan carnage (149 dead)​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/7/15/pakistan-death-toll-rises-to-149-in-mastung-attack#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20dead%20increased,told%20Al%20Jazeera%20on%20Sunday), and on election day (July 25), a bomb in Quetta. Cumulatively, \*“militants killed and injured hundreds… in a failed effort to disrupt the elections”\*​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Attacks%20by%20Islamist%20militants%20resulted,effort%20to%20disrupt%20the%20elections). Despite the violence, the election proceeded and marked the second consecutive civilian handover. Imran Khan’s PTI won nationally and also retained power in KP with a bigger mandate. Post-election, militant activity lulled, but not for long – by late 2018, TTP factions regrouping in Afghanistan foreshadowed more violence. - **Disappearances & Detainees:** The issue of missing persons remained fraught. By 2018, the fate of many earlier disappeared from KP/FATA started coming to light: some were found held in **military internment centers** set up under the wartime legal framework. Pakistan’s defense ministry told courts that dozens of missing from Swat and Waziristan were in such centers for “deradicalization”. But families reported cases of deaths in custody – for example, in August 2018, it emerged that **Gul Rahman**, missing since a 2014 army operation in North Waziristan, had died in a Kohat internment center. No independent oversight existed for these facilities. PTM’s pressure led the Army Chief to announce in April 2018 that over 200 “low-risk detainees” from tribal areas would be released – a promise partly fulfilled with some releases in 2019. The **United Nations Committee against Torture**, in a 2017 review, had urged Pakistan to ensure all secret detention sites are brought under civilian oversight, but in 2018 no significant change occurred. - **Religious/Communal Issues:** KP experienced some communal flashpoints. In **May 2018**, three women in Dera Ismail Khan lured a 16-year-old girl, accusing her of blasphemy based on a “dream”, and **murdered her** in cold blood​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=In%20January%2C%20an%20anti,the%20Quran%2C%20in%20Khanewal%2C%20Punjab). This bizarre and tragic case highlighted deep-seated superstition and extremism; the perpetrators were arrested, but the incident was chilling. Also, minority worship places were targeted: in **December 2018**, a group of teens vandalized an old Hindu temple in Karak, KP (police stopped them, a precursor to a bigger Karak temple attack that would occur in 2020). On a positive note, the Sikh community in Peshawar was allowed to openly celebrate Vaisakhi in 2018 with police protection, reflecting some efforts at inclusion. However, two Sikh traders were killed in Peshawar in 2018 (likely by TTP militants targeting minorities). The **U.S. State Dept. 2018 religious freedom report** mentioned these Sikh killings and urged better security for minorities in KP. - **Press Freedom:** Journalists in KP continued to face pressures. The Taliban threats persisted (the TTP, through its media wing, warned journalists who “maligned jihad”). In August 2018, after PTI’s election win, journalist **Gul Bukhari’s abduction** (June in Lahore) and **Asad Kharal’s assault** had already set a tone​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Gul%20Bukhari%2C%20a%20journalist%20in,assaulted%20and%20injured%20in%20Lahore). In KP, some journalists felt the PTI provincial government was less hostile to media than other provinces, but the red lines around security issues were still there. A Peshawar journalist was reportedly fired under establishment pressure for writing about PTM sympathetically. On the other hand, media helped highlight human rights: the **Khyber News TV** reported on a child abuse ring in KP in late 2018, pushing authorities to act. Pakistan’s new information minister in 2018 promised no censorship, but by year’s end, cases of news channels being mysteriously taken off-air (Geo, Dawn News) for short periods indicated that powerful forces still controlled the levers. **Reporters Without Borders** ranked Pakistan 139th in press freedom in 2018 and cited physical attacks and intimidation of journalists, including those in KP. ### 2019 - **Kharqamar Incident (Extrajudicial Killing of Protesters):** Tensions between PTM and the military climaxed on **May 26, 2019**, at the **Kharqamar checkpoint in North Waziristan**. PTM supporters led by MNAs Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar were protesting alleged army harassment and demanding release of locals. As they approached the checkpoint, gunfire erupted. The Army’s account claimed PTM men attacked first; PTM and witnesses said soldiers fired on unarmed protesters​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1485590#:~:text=%E2%80%9CHowever%2C%20on%20the%20instigation%20of,the%20parliamentarians%2C%E2%80%9D%20the%20report%20said)​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1485590#:~:text=%E2%80%9CProtesters%20started%20intense%20stone%20pelting,fire%20immediately%2C%E2%80%9D%20the%20report%20said). The clash left **13 local civilians dead and 25 wounded**, according to an official report​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1485590#:~:text=The%20death%20toll%20among%20the,one%20death%20and%20seven%20injuries) (PTM claimed even more). One soldier was killed as well​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1485590#:~:text=The%20death%20toll%20among%20the,one%20death%20and%20seven%20injuries). Ali Wazir and others were arrested on charges of inciting violence​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1485590#:~:text=%E2%80%9CHowever%2C%20on%20the%20instigation%20of,the%20parliamentarians%2C%E2%80%9D%20the%20report%20said), while Mohsin Dawar later surrendered. The incident marked a **serious human rights flashpoint**: shooting demonstrators is a grave violation. Amnesty International immediately called for a *“transparent investigation into the North Waziristan killings”*, stressing that *“the use of lethal force must be strictly necessary and proportionate”*. HRW likewise urged the authorities to *“respect the right to peaceful protest”*. Instead, the government doubled down, accusing PTM of anti-state activities. A curfew was imposed in the area. Ali Wazir and Dawar were detained for months (released on bail in Sept 2019). The National Assembly passed a resolution to investigate, but its findings (if any) were never made public. The Kharqamar incident significantly chilled the PTM movement – rallies continued but under closer surveillance. It also drew international attention; the U.S. State Dept Human Rights Report 2019 noted the incident and the **death of 13 protesters by military gunfire**​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1485590#:~:text=Govt%20report%20blames%20PTM%20MNAs,MNA%20Wazir%20was)​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1485590#:~:text=The%20death%20toll%20among%20the,one%20death%20and%20seven%20injuries). - **Continued Militant Threat & Military Ops:** While large-scale terror attacks dipped in 2019, militants regrouped. TTP and IS-K claimed sporadic attacks on security forces in KP. In April 2019, a suicide bomber killed 3 paramilitary soldiers guarding a market in Hazarganji (Quetta) – showing militants still active (though that was Balochistan). KP itself saw fewer big bombs, but targeted killings increased: police and local elders in ex-FATA were assassinated (often by motorcycle gunmen). The Army launched targeted operations in North Waziristan and Bajaur to snuff out TTP cells. One such operation in September 2019 in Boya, North Waziristan, allegedly led to civilian collateral deaths, which PTM highlighted. By late 2019, after Afghanistan’s talks with the Taliban, Pakistan noted an uptick of TTP fighters seeking refuge back in Pakistan – presaging the violent comeback to come in 2021. Still, **2019 had the lowest annual militant fatalities in Pakistan in over a decade**. Civilian life in KP’s tribal districts was normalizing superficially – markets reopened, many displaced families returned – but underlying insecurity remained. - **Pashtun Rights & Political Developments:** After Kharqamar, PTM kept a lower profile, but the issues they raised didn’t vanish. Enforced disappearances in KP persisted. Activist **Gulalai Ismail**, who spoke against sexual violence and later supported PTM, had to flee Pakistan in mid-2019 after harassment (she surfaced in the US months later). Meanwhile, in August 2019, the PTI government moved to strip the special status of neighboring Indian Kashmir – Pakistanis held protests in solidarity. Ironically, at the same time, voices in KP noted Pakistan should also grant rights to its own marginalized ethnic groups. In a positive development, the former tribal areas held their **first-ever provincial elections** in July 2019 as part of the merger into KP – a milestone for political enfranchisement. Despite some irregularities, independent and PTM-aligned candidates (some tacitly backed by PTM) won several seats, showing local desire for representation. However, a heavy military presence at polling stations drew criticism. The merge also extended the courts’ jurisdiction to these areas, allowing residents to challenge detentions – leading to some missing persons cases from FATA being heard in Peshawar High Court. - **Religious Minorities:** KP’s record on minorities remained concerning. In 2019, at least two members of the tiny **Ahmadi community** were murdered in KP in apparent hate crimes (one in Peshawar, one in Meran Shah). Police generally did not aggressively pursue these cases. There were bright spots: the KP government sponsored renovation of a historic Hindu temple in Karak (though ironically this temple would be attacked by a mob in December 2020, indicating the work to be done). Also, after Sikh activist Charanjit Singh was killed in 2018, KP police in 2019 created a Minorities Protection Unit in Peshawar to respond quickly to threats – a step praised by activists, though its effectiveness remains to be seen. - **Media:** The intimidation of journalists covering KP and ex-FATA intensified around incidents like Kharqamar. In tribal districts, reporters faced a dilemma: risk Taliban wrath by reporting on militants, or risk Army wrath by reporting on human rights violations. Many opted to stay silent on PTM or Kharqamar. One journalist, **Noor-ul-Haq**, faced charges for allegedly “supporting PTM” in a Facebook post. Nationally, 2019 was grim: prominent TV anchors who criticized the military (e.g., Hamid Mir, Talat Hussain) were either taken off air or decided to go off air, reflecting shrinking space. However, local KP media – such as Mashal Radio (Pashto service of RFE/RL) – continued to highlight socio-economic issues and occasionally human rights, until even it was shut down by authorities in 2020. The closing months of 2019 saw an eerie quiet in mainstream media on sensitive security topics, which NGOs like HRW attributed to \*“a climate of fear… impeding coverage of abuses by security forces and militants”\*​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Freedom%20of%20Expression%20and%20Attacks,on%20Civil%20Society). ### 2020 - **Resurgence of TTP and Terror:** Violence resurged toward late 2020. The Pakistani Taliban (TTP), which had splintered, regrouped under one umbrella by mid-2020. Attacks in KP ticked up: in **November 2020**, a **bomb blast at a madrasa in Peshawar** killed 8 students and injured over 130​[en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Current_events/2020_October_27#:~:text=Portal%3ACurrent%20events%2F2020%20October%2027%20,in%20Peshawar%2C%20Khyber%20Pakhtunkhwa%2C%20Pakistan). The device exploded during an Islamic class; no group claimed responsibility, but officials suspected a TTP faction aiming to sow chaos. UNICEF condemned the heinous attack on children​[unicef.org](https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-condemns-attack-religious-school-peshawar-pakistan#:~:text=UNICEF%20condemns%20attack%20on%20religious,). Earlier, in July, militants ambushed an army patrol in North Waziristan, killing an officer and two soldiers, which led to a fierce clearance operation. In response to rising TTP activity, Pakistan entered secret talks (mediated by Afghan Taliban) by late 2020, leading to a short ceasefire in early 2021 – but at the cost of letting some militants return. Another tragic incident: in **June 2020, gunmen stormed the Pakistan Stock Exchange in Karachi** (perpetrated by Baloch insurgents), not KP, but it kept Pakistan on high alert nationwide for terror. As the Afghan peace process progressed, Pakistan feared a spillover of militants; indeed, many TTP fighters left Afghan soil to re-enter KP by late 2020. - **Enforced Disappearances and Detentions:** Under PTM’s persistent advocacy, 2020 saw some progress: in January, PTM chief **Manzoor Pashteen was arrested** in Peshawar on charges of sedition (related to speeches)​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/01/27/pakistan-pashtun-activist-arrested#:~:text=Pakistan%3A%20Pashtun%20Activist%20Arrested%20,the%20morning%20of%20January%2027), triggering protests. He was released on bail in February after international pressure (HRW termed his arrest *“swatting a fly with a sledgehammer”*). Meanwhile, MNA Ali Wazir was re-arrested in Dec 2020 in Karachi for allegedly making anti-state remarks at a PTM rally. He would remain jailed for almost two years, becoming a symbol of the state’s intolerance of dissent. The practice of enforced disappearance continued: notably, in Nov 2020, Idris Khattak, a human rights researcher from KP who had been disappeared in 2019, resurfaced in military custody facing secret charges under the Official Secrets Act. In 2020 he was tried in secrecy; in 2021, he was convicted to 14 years – a case Amnesty lambasted as a travesty of justice. The *Commission on Disappearances* got some breathing room: by October 2020 it had disposed of many older cases, but still **2,219 cases remained unresolved** across Pakistan​[gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pakistan-country-policy-and-information-notes/country-policy-and-information-note-actors-of-protection-pakistan-may-2023-accessible#:~:text=Country%20policy%20and%20information%20note%3A,cases%20as%20of%20January%202024). Many of those were Pashtuns from KP/FATA. HRCP’s 2020 report flatly stated *“there was no let-up”* in enforced disappearances during the year​[hrcp-web.org](https://hrcp-web.org/hrcpweb/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/website-version-HRCP-AR-2020-5-8-21_removed.pdf#:~:text=Additionally%2C%20there%20was%20no%20let,excesses%20continuing%20through%20the%20year). - **COVID-19 Impact:** The pandemic dominated 2020. KP’s healthcare system struggled, especially in remote districts. The right to health became paramount. Some human rights concerns: KP police were reported to use heavy-handed tactics enforcing lockdowns in some areas, though generally compliance was good. Also, a significant issue was **stigma and violence related to COVID burials** – in April 2020, a mob in Swat attacked health workers trying to bury a COVID victim, fearing contagion. The government had to quell misinformation. Positively, the pause in normal life likely contributed to the lower frequency of terror attacks mid-year. PTM largely halted public gatherings due to COVID (and due to pressure). But the state did not cease crackdowns; indeed, with media focused on COVID, the government moved on some repressive actions quietly (like introducing new internet rules). Education disruptions also hit KP hard; girls and marginalized groups suffered more, raising rights concerns about equality in education access. - **Communal and Religious Issues:** In a disturbing incident 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. Naseem had been lured to Pakistan in a blasphemy sting; his murder inside a court stunned observers. The killer was apprehended – he became a hero to some extremists. The **U.S. State Department** angrily noted Pakistan had promised Naseem consular access but failed, and *“his death underscores the blasphemy law’s dangers.”* There was also the **Karak Hindu temple attack**: on December 30, 2020, a mob of hundreds (incited by a local cleric) **burned down a historic Hindu shrine in Karak, KP**. This was a flagrant assault on religious freedom. Authorities did respond – police arrested around 30 people and the Supreme Court took suo moto notice, ordering reconstruction of the temple. The incident drew international condemnation (India protested, and human rights groups within Pakistan were outraged). Encouragingly, in 2021 Pakistan rebuilt the shrine and punished some perpetrators, demonstrating, under judicial prod, a willingness to address such outrages. - **Media:** By 2020, media freedom in KP (and Pakistan generally) had hit a nadir. The year saw **multiple attacks on journalists**: in April, gunmen in Dera Ismail Khan killed journalist **Zafar Wazir** (likely due to his reporting on local corruption or militancy). In July, **Anwar Jan Khetran**, a reporter in Balochistan adjacent to KP, was shot after writing on local corruption​[monitor.civicus.org](https://monitor.civicus.org/explore/activists-and-journalists-facing-harassment-being-forcibly-disappeared-or-killed-pakistan/#:~:text=,shot%20dead%20by%20two). In KP’s Malakand, journalist **Gohar Wazir** (who had covered PTM) was detained for days by police. The most brazen was the abduction of Matiullah Jan in Islamabad (mentioned earlier, July 2020) – it sent a message to all journalists, including in KP, that powerful figures were willing to go to any extent. Many journalists in KP/T tribal areas resorted to social media to report since mainstream outlets avoided their stories. But then **new social media rules (PECA 2020 rules)** cracked down on online expression, enabling censorship of online content under vague “national security” terms. This regulatory tightening was decried by RSF and IFJ as further shrinking press space. By end of 2020, Pakistan’s press found itself heavily self-censoring. An indicator: the once frequent coverage of protests or rights issues in KP (like PTM rallies or missing persons camp) had virtually disappeared from TV. Nonetheless, local Pashto press and radio (e.g., Mashaal Radio until shut, and some YouTube channels) kept the torch of information alive as much as possible. ### 2021 - **TTP Insurgency Returns:** After a brief lull, militant violence in KP roared back in 2021, especially after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August. The Pakistani Taliban (TTP), emboldened by their ideological allies’ victory next door, escalated attacks. The most horrific was on **January 30, 2023** (technically outside 2021, but the buildup was in late 2021-2022): a **suicide bomber blew himself up in a packed mosque inside Peshawar’s police headquarters**, killing \*\*101 people (mostly policemen)\*\*​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/31/pakistan-rescue-operation-peshawar-mosque-suicide-bombing#:~:text=The%20death%20toll%20from%20a,security%20challenge%20from%20armed%20groups)​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/31/pakistan-rescue-operation-peshawar-mosque-suicide-bombing#:~:text=end%20of%20list). This was one of Pakistan’s deadliest terror attacks in years and highlighted a massive security breach. It was initially claimed by a TTP splinter (though TTP central later distanced itself). Leading up to this, through late 2021 and 2022, KP saw a sharp rise in targeted killings of police, ambushes on checkpoints, and IED blasts. Many occurred in the tribal districts: e.g., in November 2021, four soldiers were martyred in two attacks in North Waziristan. The **Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies** recorded a doubling of militant attacks in KP in 2021 vs 2020. The government engaged in stop-go **peace talks with TTP in late 2021**, even announcing a month-long ceasefire in November. But talks (facilitated by the Afghan Taliban) collapsed by December 2021, with TTP accusing Pakistan of bad faith. Critics warned the ceasefire allowed militants to regroup inside Pakistan. Indeed, after it ended, attacks surged. By end of 2021, residents in Swat and Waziristan were reporting Taliban militants reappearing in their areas. In a notable episode in August 2022 (just beyond 2021), locals in Swat held protests against Taliban presence after militants kidnapped police officers – an unprecedented civilian pushback. This underlined how the populace was weary of war and wanted peace without militants or heavy-handed operations. - **State Response and Abuses:** Facing renewed insurgency, Pakistan’s military moved additional troops to KP. Operations intensified in Waziristan and adjacent areas in 2021–22. With them, unfortunately, came fresh reports of human rights abuses. The **Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police** were also empowered in settled areas to counter TTP cells; however, allegations of **extrajudicial killings** surfaced, such as the September 2021 killing of two alleged militants in a “staged encounter” on Peshawar’s Ring Road (families claimed they were in custody before). Meanwhile, PTM kept challenging the state on past abuses: in April 2021, PTM staged a large gathering in Peshawar reiterating demands to free missing persons and stop treating all Pashtuns as suspects. The government’s approach oscillated between low-level engagement and repression. Ali Wazir remained in prison through 2021. Manzoor Pashteen was occasionally placed under house arrest to prevent rally attendance. Still, unlike 2019’s confrontation, 2021 saw no mass violence confrontation like Kharqamar. The **Supreme Court** in 2021 delivered a notable judgment striking down the 2011 Action in Aid of Civil Power Regulations (which had legalized detentions in former FATA) as unconstitutional. Human rights advocates hailed this as potentially paving the way for release or fair trial of many detainees. However, the government quickly passed a law to retroactively protect actions under those Regulations, diluting the effect. The tug of war between rule of law and security state thus continued. - **Enforced Disappearances:** By early 2022, the official list of unresolved missing persons cases still stood around 2,219​[gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pakistan-country-policy-and-information-notes/country-policy-and-information-note-actors-of-protection-pakistan-may-2023-accessible#:~:text=Country%20policy%20and%20information%20note%3A,cases%20as%20of%20January%202024), heavily dominated by KP and Balochistan. Families in KP persisted in weekly protests, notably the **“Missing Persons Camp” in Hayatabad, Peshawar**, which entered its 10th year. The new human rights minister (Shireen Mazari until April 2022) introduced the Enforced Disappearances Criminalization Bill in Parliament – a direct result of years of advocacy. However, the bill languished amid criticism that it contained loopholes allowing security agencies to escape culpability. On the ground, some progress: a few long-missing individuals returned home in 2021 (reports suggested the military quietly released several low-profile detainees as a goodwill gesture during TTP talks). Yet new disappearances also happened – e.g., in August 2021, **Muzammil Shah**, a PTM activist in Swabi, vanished after a protest; he resurfaced months later, refusing to speak about his detention. The **UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances** pressed Pakistan again in its 2021 session – even offering technical help to Pakistan’s draft law. - **Religious Minorities:** KP’s record remained mixed. On the positive side, in 2021 the rebuilt **Karak Hindu temple** was inaugurated with community leaders and officials in attendance – a symbolic victory for interfaith harmony after the 2020 destruction. However, threats persisted: the young cleric who incited that mob, released on bail, reportedly continued anti-Hindu rhetoric. Sikhs in Peshawar suffered a targeted murder in September 2021 – **Hakim Sardar Ali (Satnam Singh)**, a well-known herbalist, was shot in his clinic by assassins (likely sectarian militants). This sent fear through the tiny Sikh community of Peshawar. Police arrested some TTP-linked suspects in 2022 for it, but outcomes are unclear. Also troubling: **blasphemy charges against minorities** in KP – e.g., in 2021, an Ahmadi man in KP was charged for “posing as a Muslim” merely for printing an Islamic verse on a wedding invite; he was arrested, highlighting the impact of Pakistan’s anti-Ahmadi laws. International voices like the **U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom** called out such incidents, urging Pakistan to repeal discriminatory laws. - **Media Freedom:** In 2021, Pakistan fell further on press freedom indices. Two major attacks on journalists marked the year (in Islamabad: journalist **Absar Alam** survived being shot in April; vlogger **Asad Ali Toor** was beaten in May by unknown men). These incidents solidified the message to journalists nationwide: criticism of the military or security agencies could be life-threatening. Many in KP toed the line. Some Pashto-language YouTube/Facebook journalists covering PTM reported their pages being throttled or receiving visits from “agencies” advising them to stop. However, one victory for media and human rights came via the judiciary: in October 2021, the Supreme Court of Pakistan quashed the Pemra (media regulator) ban on TikTok (the Chinese app was banned earlier for “immoral content”). Though not directly human-rights related content, it signaled a pushback on arbitrary censorship. Still, by late 2021, the environment was such that few dared report in depth on, say, the plight of families in Waziristan or the specifics of the militant resurgence, unless echoing official narratives. The **Economist Intelligence Unit** downgraded Pakistan in its Democracy Index 2021, citing media intimidation as a factor. ### 2022–2025 - **Militancy and Counterterrorism:** The Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan had complex effects. Initially Pakistan welcomed it, hoping it would curb cross-border terror. Instead, the **TTP grew stronger**, launching an onslaught from late 2022 onward. By 2023, parts of KP, especially the merged tribal districts, were in the grip of a new insurgency. The **January 2023 Peshawar Police Lines bombing** was the deadliest example​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/31/pakistan-rescue-operation-peshawar-mosque-suicide-bombing#:~:text=The%20death%20toll%20from%20a,security%20challenge%20from%20armed%20groups)​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/31/pakistan-rescue-operation-peshawar-mosque-suicide-bombing#:~:text=end%20of%20list). Subsequently (in 2023 and early 2024), Pakistan’s military has conducted sweeping operations in North Waziristan, Khyber, South Waziristan, and Lakki Marwat to uproot TTP. Civilian casualties have been reported but hard to verify due to restricted access. For instance, an October 2023 airstrike in Kurram, aimed at militants, allegedly hit a civilian home, killing a family – local activists highlighted it on social media, but mainstream media barely touched it. The cycle of violence has sadly resumed in KP, with **57 people killed in two mosque suicide bombings on Sept 29, 2023 (one in Balochistan, one in Hangu, KP)​[reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/blast-southwest-pakistan-kills-13-more-than-50-injured-police-2023-09-29/#:~:text=Reuters%20www,children%2C%20as%20believers%20marked)**. The **UN Security Council** and **U.S. State Dept** have condemned these attacks and urged Pakistan to ensure protection of places of worship and minorities. The Pakistani government in 2023 formed a National Action Plan committee to devise a fresh strategy against the TTP, but many argue only a holistic approach – addressing governance in tribal districts, negotiating where possible, and development – will bring lasting peace. Meanwhile, the human rights of civilians hang in the balance amidst both militant atrocities and counterterror operations. - **Pashtun Protest and Political Shifts:** As violence returned, so did Pashtun protests. In mid-2022, as mentioned, thousands in **Swat valley protested** the reappearance of Taliban militants, chanting “we want peace.” These were ordinary citizens (not explicitly PTM-organized), showing a broader sentiment against a repeat of Taliban rule as seen in 2007-09. The government took note and increased security, which somewhat allayed fears. The PTM itself, though less in headlines, maintained its advocacy. Ali Wazir was finally released in 2023 after nearly 26 months in jail, to a hero’s welcome by supporters. He has continued to demand accountability for the Kharqamar killings. Politically, the landscape in KP is shifting: Imran Khan’s PTI, which dominated KP, was ousted nationally in April 2022 and faced a crackdown after May 2023, weakening it. As Pakistan heads towards a general election (expected late 2024 or early 2025), new players or coalitions might emerge in KP. Some observers believe **PTM’s narrative** could translate into greater electoral strength, especially if merged with other Pashtun nationalist forces (e.g., the ANP). However, any political force in KP will need to balance asserting civilian rights with the reality of heavy military influence in security matters. - **Legislative and Judicial Developments:** In 2023, Pakistan finally passed the long-awaited law criminalizing enforced disappearance. But rights groups criticized it for *excluding the intelligence agencies from its purview*, making enforcement doubtful. The real test will be if any perpetrators of past disappearances are prosecuted – which many are skeptical about. The Peshawar High Court and Supreme Court continued to hear cases of missing persons; in a landmark January 2024 ruling, the Supreme Court ordered the government to compensate several families of missing persons in KP whose custody by state agencies had been acknowledged. This set a precedent that the state has responsibility for those it holds (even if outcome unknown). Yet, such judicial directives have met foot-dragging before. On freedom of religion, Pakistan did marginally tighten laws *against* blasphemy in early 2023 (making penalties harsher for accusing companions of Prophet Muhammad) – going opposite to reform calls. However, at the same time, courts have been active: In 2023, the Supreme Court upheld sentences against several perpetrators of the Mashal Khan lynching, signaling zero tolerance for vigilante justice. **Human Rights Watch’s 2023 report** lamented that \*“the government did not repeal the blasphemy law… instead encouraged discriminatory prosecutions”\*​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=At%20least%2017%20people%20remain,are%20members%20of%20religious%20minorities)​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Blasphemy%20allegations%20and%20related%20rhetoric,other%20abuses%20against%20vulnerable%20groups), highlighting that dozens remain on death row for blasphemy. This remains a key concern into 2025. - **International Attention:** KP’s human rights situation has been a topic in forums like the **U.N. Human Rights Council** and **U.S. Congress**. In 2022, a U.S. Congress hearing on “Ethnic Minorities in South Asia” included testimony on Pashtuns in Pakistan, mentioning enforced disappearances and suppression of PTM. Pakistan’s government rejected such statements as biased. The UN’s human rights mechanisms – e.g., the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions – have sought information on incidents like Kharqamar, but Pakistan’s responses are usually terse denials. The **Global War on Terror** narratives have faded internationally after the U.S. left Afghanistan, meaning less global scrutiny on what happens in KP – unless situations like the Peshawar mosque bombing grab headlines. Nonetheless, diaspora groups (Pashtun, Sindhi, Baloch) have increased advocacy in Western capitals, keeping some pressure on Pakistan to improve its human rights record. The EU’s GSP+ trade scheme renewal for Pakistan beyond 2023 has been tied to 27 conventions including human rights – Pakistan’s compliance will be reviewed, and issues like enforced disappearances and press freedom will feature. The hope is that such leverage might encourage reforms that grassroots efforts alone have not yet achieved. * * * **Sources:** - Human Rights Watch – \*World Reports 2017–2023 (Pakistan)\*​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Militant%20groups%20targeted%20lawyers%2C%20courts%2C,the%20district%20courts%20in%20Mardan)​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=The%20human%20rights%20crisis%20in,Baloch%20civilians)​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Attacks%20by%20Islamist%20militants%20resulted,effort%20to%20disrupt%20the%20elections)​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Freedom%20of%20Religion%20and%20Belief) - Amnesty International & HRCP – Reports and press releases on enforced disappearances and PTM​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=In%20July%2C%20after%20its%20review,of%20human%20rights%20defenders%2C%20particularly)​[amnesty.org](https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/press-release/2019/05/pakistan-investigate-north-waziristan-killings/#:~:text=International%20www,he%20was%20in%20police) - Dawn, Al Jazeera, Reuters – News articles on key incidents (Quetta attacks, Sialkot lynching, Mastung bombing, Jaranwala riots, Naqeebullah case, Karak temple)​[hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/pakistan#:~:text=Militant%20groups%20targeted%20lawyers%2C%20courts%2C,In)​[reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/article/world/pakistani-mob-destroys-100-year-old-minority-ahmadi-mosque-idUSKCN1IP20U/#:~:text=ISLAMABAD%20%28Reuters%29%20,the%20community%20said%20on%20Thursday)​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/7/15/pakistan-death-toll-rises-to-149-in-mastung-attack#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20dead%20increased,told%20Al%20Jazeera%20on%20Sunday)​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/16/angry-mobs-burn-christian-churches-in-pakistan-after-blasphemy-allegations#:~:text=Islamabad%2C%20Pakistan%20%E2%80%93%20Armed%20mobs,two%20Christian%20residents%20of%20blasphemy)​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/1/19/police-killing-of-naqeebullah-mehsud-angers-pakistanis#:~:text=Islamabad%2C%20Pakistan%20%E2%80%93%20The%20police,an%20innocent%20aspiring%20male%20model)​[aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/16/angry-mobs-burn-christian-churches-in-pakistan-after-blasphemy-allegations#:~:text=Videos%20on%20social%20media%20showed,torching%20them%20and%20breaking%20windows) - Pakistan Government and UN documents – Statistics from the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances​[peoplesdispatch.org](https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/01/25/63-persons-forcibly-disappeared-37-killed-in-pakistans-balochistan/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Commission%20of,actual%20number%20is%20much%20higher), UN Secretary-General statements​[un.org](https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2021-01-04/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-pakistan#:~:text=General%20www.un.org%20%20The%20Secretary,Balochistan%20province%20of%20Pakistan), EU Parliament resolution 2021​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1621254#:~:text=The%20European%20Parliament%20has%20adopted,organisations%2C%20it%20emerged%20on%20Friday)​[dawn.com](https://www.dawn.com/news/1621254#:~:text=It%20notes%20that%20there%20has,and%20the%20most%20marginalised%20segments), US State Dept Human Rights and Religious Freedom reports​[newindianexpress.com](https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2021/May/04/pakistan-witnessed-substantial-human-rights-violations-in-2020-report-2298266.html#:~:text=It%20added%20that%20accusations%20of,said%20on%20the%20freedom%20of)​[uscirf.gov](https://www.uscirf.gov/search-results?f%5B0%5D=news%3A501&f%5B1%5D=related_country%3A30&f%5B2%5D=related_country%3A32&f%5B3%5D=related_country%3A36&f%5B4%5D=related_country%3A38&f%5B5%5D=related_country%3A47&f%5B6%5D=related_country%3A48&f%5B7%5D=related_country%3A49&f%5B8%5D=related_country%3A55&f%5B9%5D=related_country%3A57&f%5B10%5D=related_country%3A61&f%5B11%5D=related_country%3A62&f%5B12%5D=related_country%3A63&f%5B13%5D=related_country%3A65&f%5B14%5D=related_country%3A67&f%5B15%5D=related_country%3A69&f%5B16%5D=related_country%3A71&f%5B17%5D=related_country%3A72&f%5B18%5D=related_country%3A73&f%5B19%5D=related_country%3A5840&f%5B20%5D=topic%3A173&f%5B21%5D=topic%3A204&f%5B22%5D=topic%3A489&f%5B23%5D=topic%3A500&page=2#:~:text=Search%20,since%202018%2C%20but%20it). Here is the compiled list of all unique web links referenced in the research on human rights violations in Pakistan (2016–2025): 1. https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2024/08/20/au-baloutchistan-pakistanais-les-familles-de-victimes-de-la-repression-demandent-justice_6288428_3210.html 2. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/apr/23/i-only-protest-i-want-to-go-to-school-the-childhoods-lost-in-pakistan-when-loved-ones-are-disappeared 3. https://time.com/7071983/mahrang-baloch-pakistan-prevented-from-traveling/ 4. https://apnews.com/article/5e88ad05038460ee7377ab1da78d6bb3 5. https://apnews.com/article/a0d14391db0f2a2fe5e56b1472a926a7 6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Balochistan_protests 7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encounter_killing 8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_discrimination_in_Pakistan 9. https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/08/22/pakistan-mob-attacks-christian-settlement 10. https://apnews.com/article/26eb1fa565e894063e88cdc8d38ffd0a 11. https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/pakistan/ 12. https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/03/pakistan-un-experts-demand-release-baloch-human-rights-defenders-and-end 13. https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/09/27/crooked-system/police-abuse-and-reform-pakistan 14. https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/pakistan/ 15. https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2021-01-04/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-on-pakistan 16. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/08/pakistan-authorities-must-halt-wave-of-enforced-disappearances/ 17. https://hrcp-web.org/hrcpweb/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/State-of-Human-Rights-in-2023.pdf 18. https://balochistanhcr.blogspot.com/2021/12/human-rights-violations-in-balochistan.html 19. https://www.dawn.com/news/1661125 20. https://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Pakistan-Enforced-Disappearances-Legal-submission-2021-ENG.pdf 21. https://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Pakistan-Enforced-Disappearances-Legal-brief-2021.pdf 22. https://hrcp-web.org/hrcpweb/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/State-of-Human-Rights-in-2020-English.pdf 23. https://hrcp-web.org/hrcpweb/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/State-of-Human-Rights-in-2019-English.pdf 24. https://cpj.org/2020/07/pakistani-journalist-matiullah-jan-abducted-in-islamabad/ 25. https://ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/category/press-releases/article/pakistan-journalist-muhammad-siddique-mengal-killed-in-car-bomb-attack.html 26. https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa33/2765/2020/en/ 27. https://unpo.org/article/22059 28. https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa33/2307/2020/en/ 29. https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/01/23/pakistan-police-should-be-held-accountable-extrajudicial-killings 30. https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/01/28/pakistan-free-detained-ptm-leader 31. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2338791/ali-wazir-granted-bail-by-sc-after-two-years-in-prison 32. https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm852 33. https://www.dawn.com/news/1599614 34. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0157_EN.html 35. https://mailchi.mp/csj/blasphemy-laws-2020 36. https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/671916-asian-human-rights-commission-asks-pakistan-to-curb-impunity-for-enforced-disappearances 37. https://www.state.gov/reports/2018-report-on-international-religious-freedom/pakistan/ 38. https://www.satp.org/datasheet-terrorist-attack/fatalities/pakistan 39. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-39880207 40. https://tribune.com.pk/story/1480284/pakistans-deadliest-terrorist-attacks 41. https://www.dawn.com/news/1419993 42. https://www.dawn.com/news/1713410 43. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2264075/hayat-baloch-was-shot-eight-times-in-front-of-parents-report 44. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-attacks-hazara-idUSKBN2980G5 45. https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/pakistan/ 46. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/pakistan 47. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/12/pakistan-disturbing-lynching-of-sri-lankan-national-shows-urgent-need-to-reform-blasphemy-laws/ 48. https://twitter.com/MariaarenaEU/status/1662057988817680384 49. https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/06/20/pakistan-mass-arrests-military-courts