July 30, 2026
By Hafizullah Storai Sherani
ISLAMABAD
A comprehensive roundtable conference titled Closing the Gaps in Pakistan’s Anti-Torture Framework was organized in Islamabad by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) with support from the European Union (EU). Human rights defenders, legal experts, political leaders, and government representatives from across the country participated in the event to hold an in-depth discussion on the rising incidents of custodial torture, legislative loopholes, and structural violence in Pakistan.
Speaking at the opening session and later in an interview with Voicepk, prominent legal expert and former HRCP Chairperson Hina Jilani expressed grave concern over the current state of custodial torture in the country.
She said that the primary objective of the gathering was to review existing anti-torture legislation and assess the reality on the ground.
“Today there is hardly any institution or detention facility in the country from which complaints of abuse are not being received,” she said. “Whether it involves police stations, prisons, internment centers, or military custody, allegations of torture continue to pour in from everywhere. Eliminating torture has been a critical necessity for Pakistan for decades, yet despite the passage of laws, no meaningful change is visible on the ground.”
Jillani added that anti-torture laws were neither taken seriously, nor were effective operational mechanisms established for their implementation. It appears that institutions themselves endorse torture, making it so widespread and systematic that it severely damages Pakistan’s international image. She observed that rulers are deliberately ignoring the issue because their intent is to maintain governance through fear and torture.
Presenting HRCP’s demands, she called for a complete audit of all relevant institutions to evaluate their compliance with anti-torture laws. She urged that civil society be actively involved in independent investigations, monitoring, and accountability forums to ensure perpetrators are held responsible.
Former Senator and HRCP Council Member Farhatullah Babar addressed the closing session. Speaking to Voicepk, he sharply criticised security laws and structural deficiencies within Pakistan’s legal framework.
He remarked that the main goal of the event was to raise public awareness about torture and explore ways to minimize, if not entirely eradicate, it from the country.
“Unfortunately, Pakistan’s current legal framework creates an enabling environment that actively facilitates torture,” said Farhatullah Babar.
Citing security legislation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, Babar noted that legislation in KP allowed the establishment of internment centers, granting non-civilian institutions the power to detain individuals for up to three months without producing them before a magistrate, filing charges, or initiating court proceedings. A similar amendment was recently introduced in Balochistan. Detaining citizens for months without questioning or legal process is itself an appalling form of torture.
Critiquing the political landscape and the hybrid system of governance, he added that Pakistan is undergoing a period of severe constitutional deviation and decline. In this hybrid setup, someone else appears to be in the driver’s seat while the actual levers of control, including the brakes and clutch, are held by someone else. Such a vehicle may run for a short distance, but it will inevitably meet a disastrous crash.
He urged that society must raise its voice against this hybrid setup.
He also demanded that Pakistan accede to the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, noting that signing it would allow UN representatives to inspect any prison or detention facility in the country, thereby creating an effective deterrent against abuse.
‘Severe regression in freedom of expression & human rights’
Senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former provincial minister Taimur Khan Jhagra at the conference expressed deep concern over the deteriorating state of human rights and press freedom.
“The country is going through severe regression today,” he said. “The reversal of basic human rights and freedom of expression over the past few years is what matters most today – whether it involves freedom of speech, restrictions on journalists, custodial torture, extrajudicial killings, or enforced disappearances, the situation has deteriorated across all fronts.”
Jhagra added that placing curbs on journalists, political activists, and ordinary citizens, alongside subjecting detainees to torture, directly violates democracy and the rule of law. Commending HRCP’s campaign, he declared full support on behalf of PTI for efforts against custodial torture and restrictions on civil liberties.
‘Will incorporate civil society inputs in the legislation’
Representing the Law Department and the government’s perspective, Barrister Usman attended the conference and addressed the concerns raised by HRCP and civil society delegates.
He said that the Law Department will thoroughly review the intellectual and technical input provided by experts at the forum, whether submitted via email or in the final report. Utilising this technical expertise, the government will make every effort to incorporate these recommendations into legislation where political consensus can be reached.
Policy recommendations
During the event, HRCP Project Manager Jaffer Ahmed outlined the roadmap for the national campaign titled Against Torture, while HRCP Director Farah Zia moderated the open forum.During the open discussion, speakers and human rights activists highlighted the following key demands:
- Urgently address and rectify the operational and legal loopholes within the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Act 2022.
- Ensure complete transparency regarding prison data, detention figures, and monitoring, while granting journalists and independent media unhindered access to detention facilities and court proceedings.
- Foster active collaboration between civil society, political parties, and state institutions to drive positive behavioral change among law enforcement personnel and society at large against the use of torture.