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March 10, 2025: Pakistan has been added to the CIVICUS Monitor’s watchlist, following a marked deterioration in civic freedoms, with authorities increasingly targeting human rights defenders, suppressing protests, and imposing significant restrictions on digital spaces. The country’s actions have drawn widespread concern over the erosion of fundamental freedoms and rights.
The CIVICUS Monitor’s watchlist highlights nations that are experiencing rapid declines in civic freedoms, and Pakistan now joins the United States, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Italy, and Serbia in the inaugural watchlist of 2025.
Crackdown on Human Rights Defenders and Activists
Human rights defenders in Pakistan are facing arbitrary criminalisation, particularly under terrorism-related charges. Among those targeted are Dr. Mahrang Baloch, a leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), and Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, a prominent human rights lawyer. Dr. Baloch, known for her vocal criticism of Pakistan’s security agencies, is facing multiple criminal charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act for organising sit-ins and attending public gatherings. Mazari-Hazir, who has been a strong advocate for legal redress for victims of violence and the rights of persecuted communities, has also been charged under terrorism laws.
“The charges against human rights defenders like Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir are a political witch-hunt. They are attempts at silencing dissent,” said Rajavelu Karunanithi, CIVICUS Advocacy and Campaign Officer for Asia. “CIVICUS calls on the government to drop these fabricated charges immediately and revoke the ban against the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement.”
Protests and Ethnic Minority Movements Targeted
In October 2024, Pakistan’s government banned the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), a group that has mobilised nationwide against human rights violations. The ban was enforced under the Anti-Terrorism Act, a move that sparked widespread condemnation from civil society groups.
The crackdown on political opposition and ethnic minority protests is also evident, with hundreds of individuals arrested and charged in October and November 2024 ahead of planned protests. Authorities have employed vague and overbroad laws to stifle dissent, while blocking key highways and routes to prevent protesters from assembling. Protests by Sindhi and Baloch ethnic groups have been met with severe suppression, raising serious concerns over Pakistan’s commitment to its international human rights obligations.
Targeting of Journalists and Digital Crackdowns
Journalists in Pakistan have increasingly become targets under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), with accusations of spreading “false narratives against state institutions.” In a further escalation, the government amended PECA in January 2025 to tighten its control over online speech. Authorities have also imposed internet and mobile service shutdowns in regions ahead of protests, and since February 2024, social media platform X has been inaccessible.
International and Local Concerns
In October 2024, the UN Human Rights Committee reviewed Pakistan’s record on civil and political rights and issued urgent recommendations to protect civic freedoms. However, Pakistan’s actions over the past several months stand in stark contrast to these recommendations.
“The crackdown on protests by opposition and ethnic minority groups, the targeting of journalists, and the digital restrictions are inconsistent with Pakistan’s international human rights obligations. These actions also contradict the recommendations made by the UN Human Rights Committee,” Karunanithi added. “The authorities must take immediate steps to reverse course, protect the rights to peaceful assembly and expression, and hold those responsible for these violations accountable.”
As Pakistan joins the CIVICUS Monitor watchlist, the international community will be closely monitoring the country’s adherence to its human rights commitments and the protection of fundamental freedoms for all its citizens.
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BNM Protest Outside Downing Street Demand Justice for Disappeared Baloch Women | London 2026
The demonstration condemned Pakistan’s alleged state-led abductions in Balochistan, which protesters described as serious violations of human rights and international law. Participants urged the British government, United Nations, and international human rights organisations to take immediate action and hold those responsible accountable.
London-based Baloch political activist and journalist Aomar Karim participated in the protest, showing solidarity with the families of missing Baloch women. He called on the international community and human rights defenders to raise their voices for Balochistan and to break the silence surrounding enforced disappearances.
By gathering at the heart of British democracy, protesters demanded international intervention to end enforced disappearances and state violence in Balochistan.
Read News: Protest Held Outside Downing Street as Activists Demand Action Over Disappearance of Baloch Women https://aomarkarim.com/protest-held-outside-downing-street-as-activists-demand-action-over-disappearance-of-baloch-women/
📍 Location: 10 Downing Street, London
📅 Date: Sunday, 4 January 2026
✊ Organised by: Baloch National Movement (BNM)
#BNMProtest #Balochistan #HumanRights #BalochWomen #EnforcedDisappearances #10DowningStreet #AomarKarim #BalochActivism #JusticeForBalochWomen #LondonProtest #InternationalHumanRights
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