On April 30, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) released its annual State of Human Rights in Pakistan 2024 report, presenting a grim snapshot of the country’s deteriorating political and human rights landscape.
The findings underscore a growing democratic crisis marked by institutional erosion, suppression of dissent, and systemic violations of civil liberties.
The HRCP, long considered one of the most credible watchdogs of civil rights in Pakistan, painted a disturbing picture of how rights-based governance has continued to recede under the weight of political instability, military overreach, and shrinking space for free expression.
From electoral manipulation and media censorship to enforced disappearances and gender-based violence, the report charts a nation seemingly moving further away from the promises enshrined in its constitution and democratic ideals.
Erosion of democratic institutions
The most glaring theme running through the HRCP’s latest annual report is the erosion of Pakistan’s already fragile democratic infrastructure.
The Commission notes that key institutions—particularly the Parliament, judiciary, and the Election Commission—faced mounting pressure throughout the year, both from the executive branch and extra-constitutional centres of power.
The general elections held in February 2024 were marred by allegations of manipulation and pre-poll rigging, with opposition parties and independent observers reporting widespread interference.
HRCP cites the lack of a level playing field, the disqualification of several candidates on technical grounds, and instances of polling-day irregularities as clear signs that electoral integrity remained compromised.
The result was a National Assembly whose legitimacy continues to be contested both within Pakistan and abroad.
The Commission also raised concerns about the independence of the judiciary.
Selective application of laws, judicial overreach in some cases and submissiveness in others, and a failure to protect fundamental rights cases from political influence were cited as worrying trends.
The judiciary, once seen as a possible bulwark against authoritarianism, is increasingly viewed as part of a system that reinforces executive overreach.
Shrinking space for dissent
Another troubling trend highlighted by the HRCP is the intensified clampdown on dissent.
Journalists, activists, academics, and civil society members continued to face intimidation, surveillance, and in some cases, physical harm.
The report notes an uptick in harassment of journalists critical of the government and the military, including cases where media personnel were forcibly abducted or coerced into silence.
Digital censorship also expanded in scope and sophistication.
The HRCP documented several instances where websites were blocked, social media accounts suspended, or online content scrubbed under vague provisions of cybercrime laws.
In a year marked by widespread discontent over economic hardship, inflation, and energy shortages, the state’s intolerance for criticism reached new heights.
Campus freedoms also suffered. Student unions remain banned, and attempts to organise peaceful protests or academic seminars critical of state policy are often met with administrative crackdowns.
Dissent in universities—a space once vibrant with political discourse—is now carefully policed, if not entirely extinguished.
Enforced disappearances and abuse of power
Perhaps one of the most haunting aspects of the HRCP report is its chronicling of enforced disappearances—an issue that has plagued Pakistan for over two decades.
Despite repeated assurances from successive governments, the number of cases has not declined.
In 2024 alone, dozens of new complaints were filed, particularly from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
The families of the disappeared continue to demand justice in the face of state denial and legal inertia.
The report cites multiple instances where law enforcement agencies, often operating without oversight, allegedly detained individuals without charge, sometimes for months.
These practices not only violate domestic laws but also contravene international human rights obligations to which Pakistan is a signatory.
The abuse of anti-terror laws to silence political opponents, journalists, and peaceful protesters was another trend identified by the HRCP.
Vague provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act have been invoked to detain individuals without due process, and the report warns of the normalisation of a security-centric approach to governance at the expense of civil rights.
Economic inequality and social injustice
While much of the HRCP report focuses on civil and political rights, it does not shy away from addressing socio-economic disparities that deepen the human rights crisis.
Rising inflation, a faltering rupee, and sluggish economic growth have pushed millions closer to the poverty line.
Access to healthcare, education, and clean water remains deeply unequal, particularly for women, children, and marginalised communities.
The Commission notes with alarm that child labour and bonded labour practices, especially in the agriculture and brick kiln sectors, remain rampant.
Laws meant to protect workers are either poorly implemented or routinely ignored.
Labour unions face bureaucratic hurdles and frequent harassment, while workplace safety standards remain dangerously low.
Women’s rights, too, suffered severe setbacks in 2024. Cases of domestic violence, honour killings, and sexual assault were met with slow or indifferent law enforcement responses.
The report criticises the lack of effective implementation of protective laws and the absence of gender-sensitive training for police and judicial officials.
Religious minorities under threat
The HRCP report also sheds light on the increasing marginalisation of religious minorities in Pakistan. Blasphemy laws, often weaponised to settle personal scores or incite mob violence, continued to pose a threat to Christians, Hindus, Ahmadis, and Shia Muslims.
In several cases documented by the Commission, individuals accused of blasphemy were either killed by mobs or languished in prison without a fair trial.
The state’s failure to curb hate speech, ensure justice for victims of religious violence, or protect places of worship was seen as indicative of a broader pattern of institutional apathy, if not complicity.
Educational curricula in public schools still promote intolerance, and minority representation in political and administrative structures remains tokenistic at best.
A bleak democratic outlook
The HRCP’s State of Human Rights in Pakistan 2024 report is more than just a document of record—it is a stark indictment of a state drifting steadily away from democratic accountability and constitutionalism.
The trends identified by the Commission—erosion of institutions, suppression of dissent, systemic abuses of power, and socio-economic injustice—paint a picture of a democracy in retreat.
While Pakistan has long grappled with the contradictions between its democratic aspirations and authoritarian impulses, the events of 2024 mark a particularly low point in its human rights trajectory.
As civil society weakens, institutions falter, and fear silences dissent, the path to recovery appears increasingly steep. The HRCP report serves as a crucial reminder that without a robust commitment to rights and accountability, Pakistan’s democratic future hangs in the balance.
