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Human rights report on Pakistan exposes its follies in handling PoK, Balochistan issues

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan released its annual report, highlighting the deplorable state of law and order in the country. From rising militancy to declining democracy, here are the follies the report delves into read more Pakistani volunteers collect debris from an Ahmadi mosque demolished by an angry mob, in the eastern city of Sialkot. Source: File Image / AP The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) released its annual report on Thursday, raising concerns about the democratic backsliding and declining law and order in Pakistan. Right from the February 8, 2024, general elections, the body listed the human rights abuses different sections of society witnessed last year. In the report, HRCP noted how the polls were compromised and how the government that took office subsequently, ceded space to undemocratic forces in the form of several hurriedly passed and flawed laws. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While addressing, the gathering at the launch event, HCRP chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt raised concerns about what he called the 'state-sanctioned violence' in 2024. He mentioned that there have been at least 379 officially reported new cases of enforced disappearance, two extrajudicial killings of persons suspected of blasphemy and 4,864 staged police encounters in Sindh and Punjab alone, Dawn reported. Adding to Butt's point, former HRCP chairperson Hina Jilani maintained that enforced disappearances were not justified in any circumstances, 'including war or insurgency', adding 'No cause can justify violence or acts of terrorism. The human rights community insists that all acts of violence be dealt with by the law,' she said. The report also called out the continued ban on social media platform X and atrocities committed against minority groups. Here are some of the key issues the HCRP report tackles. Abuse in PoK & plight of Ahmadiyyas ### Conditions in PoK Highlighting the worsening human rights conditions in the country, the HCRP report drew attention to the political repression in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The report recalled the mass protests that erupted in the region in 2024 due to rising flour prices and rising electricity tariffs. In May, the protestors staged a long March. However, the government responded to these demonstrations by conducting mass arrests and violence against the activists. 'At least four individuals, including a police officer, reportedly lost their lives during clashes between protesters and security forces,' the report mentioned. The body called out the government for struggling to maintain 'law and order' in the region. HCRP mentioned the jailbreak at Central Jail Poonch (PoJK), which resulted in the escape of 19 prisoners, facilitated by a smuggled pistol. The report called out the enforced disappearances of civilians in the region and specifically mentioned the unlawful abduction of Kashmiri journalist Ahmad Farhad (from Islamabad) and Neelum Valley resident Mudassar Khan, which drew significant media attention last year. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD ### Plight of Ahmadiyyas HCRP mentioned that throughout 2024, the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and other parts of the country faced several targeted attacks and all sorts of atrocities. The community was desecrating sites of worship and violent assaults on worshippers. It is pertinent to note that the Ahmadi sect believed that the Messiah Ghulam Ahmad lived after Islam's prophet Muhammad and insisted that they were part of Islam. However, they were declared as non-Muslims in Pakistan in 1974 by former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Since then, the community has faced all sorts of persecution because of its faith. Concerns over growing militancy In the report, the HCRP maintained that the February 2024 General Elections were compromised by allegations of electoral manipulation. It recalled how the fate of former Pakistan PM Imran Khan's Pakistan Thereek-e-Insaf was left undecided. The report also condemned the government's law marking in 2024 and measures its overall impact on freedom of expression in the country. HRCP co-chair Munizae Jahangir noted at the launch event that with 2.4 million cases pending nationwide, Pakistan's judicial system remained heavily burdened during the year. The report also mentioned that Pakistani jails are overcrowded at a rate of almost 228 per cent. Last year, Amnesty International also highlighted some of the issues that are mentioned in the HRCP report, observing that human rights abuses remained 'rampant' in Pakistan. 'Human rights have declined alarmingly, leading to widespread mental distress among the population due to inflation, joblessness, and blatant violations of the law," Butt said at the launch event. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He mentioned the poor state of law and order, with 1,166 terrorist attacks in 2024, resulting in 2,546 fatalities — a 66 per cent increase in fatalities compared to 2023. 'The state has failed' in its duty to protect its citizens, Butt asserted, citing the 'Kurram battlefield' where 250 people were killed and a November incident that claimed 52 lives. Decline in Democratic principles The HRCP report also raised serious concerns about the shrinking space for freedom of speech and expression. The body mentioned restrictions on internet connectivity, including the social media platform X. HRCP argued that journalists became increasingly vulnerable, with 162 incidents of attacks and six journalists killed by unknown individuals in 2024. The body reminded the Pakistani government of its obligation towards the country's constitution and the need to ensure freedom of expression and faith. The 'misuse of religious material for blackmail and subsequent arrests by the Federal Investigation Agency,' often stemming from WhatsApp activity, was highlighted as a worrying trend. Citing incidents in Swat, Sargodha, Umerkot and Quetta, the report condemned the rising cases of mob lynchings across the country. The plight of Balochistan The report also acknowledged the treatment of growing movements in Balochistan and Sindh, such as the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC). 'Most residents of Balochistan remained increasingly disillusioned with the state throughout the year, concerned that their grievances—concerning continued enforced disappearances and control of the province's natural resources—were being ignored with little political resolve on the government's part to address these,' the report reads. The report condemned the violation of the right to assembly in the region and mentioned how journalists were killed in Khuzdar and Mastung, including the president of the Khuzdar Press Club, who was gunned down on World Press Freedom Day. HRCP also noted how the region is struggling with the rise in polio cases. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While speaking to Firstpost, prominent Baloch activist and central committee leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), Dr Sabiha Baloch mentioned the atrocities the civilians of the region often face. 'The people of Balochistan are deprived of even the most basic human rights. Every fundamental right is denied, from the right to life to freedom of speech. Despite being a mineral-rich region, over 80 per cent of the population lives in extreme poverty. The literacy rate remains one of the lowest in the country due to widespread poverty and a severe lack of access to schools and higher education,' Dr Baloch told Firstpost, last month. 'Balochistan has been transformed into a military zone. Certain areas have turned into complete no-go zones or restricted areas for civilians. In cities such as Mashkay and Awaran, even locals can only enter by presenting their national identity cards. Military checkpoints are scattered along the roads, where Baloch citizens are interrogated daily by non-local army personnel.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The list of human rights violations committed by the Pakistani army in Balochistan is extensive — far too numerous to cover in a single statement. In summary, in Balochistan, fundamental human rights are nonexistent," she concluded. Overall, it becomes important to see that while Pakistan flexes its muscles amid a diplomatic row with India, the country is struggling to maintain law and order within its territory.