Pakistan's Troubling Turn: Added to Human Rights Watchlist

Pakistan is now on Civicus Monitor's 2025 human rights watchlist due to escalating suppression of civil freedoms. The global coalition condemns targeted actions against activists, journalists, and opposition figures. Pakistan's measures, including digital censorship and activist criminalization, worsen civic space, drawing international criticism.

In a startling development, Pakistan has been included in the Civicus Monitor's human rights watchlist for 2025, marking a significant decline in its civic space and an intensified crackdown on dissent. This decision throws the spotlight on the country's troubling human rights situation, which has recently seen an arbitrary targeting of activists, journalists, and opposition figures by the authorities, according to reports by the Dawn.

The Civicus statement, as reported by the Dawn, places Pakistan alongside nations like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Serbia, Italy, and the United States, where civic freedoms are rapidly eroding. Civicus Monitor has categorized Pakistan's status as "repressed" due to escalating government actions that stifle political freedom and civil rights.

The watchlist inclusion comes after a series of disturbing actions, including the criminalization of activists, suppression of opposition groups, and stifling protests by ethnic and minority communities. Digital restrictions have also been imposed, further diminishing free expression, according to the Dawn. Civicus has cited the cases of Mahrang Baloch and Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, both facing politically motivated charges in efforts to silence dissent.

Rajavelu Karunanithi, Civicus' Advocacy and Campaign Officer for Asia, condemned these charges as a "political witch-hunt," calling for their immediate dismissal and the lifting of the ban on the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM). The PTM, advocating for Pashtun rights, has faced substantial repression, the Dawn mentioned.

Crackdowns have hit not just political opposition but extended to ethnic minorities, notably the Sindh and Baloch communities, facing harsh government actions. Civicus sees these as violations of Pakistan's international human rights commitments, as cited by the Dawn. A major issue reported involves journalists targeted under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), accused of spreading "false narratives" against state entities.

Civicus criticized January 2025 amendments to PECA, tightening control over expression and empowering deeper media crackdowns. These measures contradict international human rights laws and UN recommendations, the Dawn reported.

Karunanithi urged Pakistan to safeguard basic rights and hold violators accountable, stressing the need for protection of peaceful assembly and expression.

(With inputs from agencies.)