The state of
human rights in 2024
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Want to know what’s really happening in Pakistan? Here’s where you can find out.
The State of Human Rights series is our flagship annual report series—in publication since 1990. It documents rights violations and related developments across each of the four provinces and three federal territories, providing information on the rule of law, the administration of justice, the state of fundamental freedoms, the situation of disadvantaged groups, and the state of economic, social, cultural and environmental rights.
State of Human Rights in 2024 was launched on 30 April 2025 in Islamabad. The report draws attention to the February 2024 general elections, which were marred by allegations of electoral manipulation and unresolved disputes over reserved seats. Amid growing authoritarianism, the government pushed through several flawed laws, further narrowing democratic space. Militancy surged to deadly new levels, with over 2,500 fatalities while mob violence claimed at least 24 lives.
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HRCP documented a disturbing rise in state-sanctioned violence, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. The Ahmadiyya community reported at least six cases of faith-based murder and the widespread desecration of graves and worship sites. Journalists, activists, and civil society movements faced increasing repression, with the banning of social media platform X and misuse of public order laws.
The justice system remained overwhelmed, with 2.4 million pending cases and an alarming prison overcrowding rate of 228 percent. Violence against women and children persisted on a shocking scale, and vulnerable workers—including miners, sanitation workers and polio teams—continued to face deadly working conditions. Amid a collapsing social safety net, extreme weather and air pollution compounded the year’s challenges.
The report is a sobering reminder that Pakistan’s human rights landscape is under growing strain—and urgent action is needed.
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The 8 February 2024 general elections have concluded relatively peacefully,
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