Pakistan slammed at UN over human rights situation, 'mass graves' and missing citizens

Mass graves, missing citizens, detention

At the 34th Meeting of the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), international geopolitical researcher Josh Bowes voiced significant concerns over human rights violations in Pakistan and the ongoing crisis in Balochistan. Bowes highlighted the importance of greater human rights accountability, particularly in the context of the European Union's observations regarding Pakistan's GSP+ status.

Speaking at the session, Bowes pointed out Pakistan's low ranking, 158th position, on the World Press Freedom Index. He also cited alarming figures regarding religious freedom, noting that "The USCIRF Religious freedom report for 2025 states that over 700 individuals were in prison for blasphemy charges, with 300 per cent increase from the last year."

Furthermore, Bowes brought attention to the escalating atrocities faced by the Baloch people. He shared grim statistics: "The Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Body, Paank documented 785 enforced disappearances and 121 killings in the first half of 2025 alone. The Pashtun national jirga said that in 2025, 4000 Pashtuns are still missing." In his concluding remarks, Bowes urged the Council to strengthen its monitoring, stating, "The UNHRC is requested to explore cooperative mechanisms with the EU under item 8 to strengthen its monitoring of human rights situation in Pakistan."

Earlier in the session, human rights activist Arif Aajakia had also exposed Pakistan's human rights record, alleging prolonged military operations, extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, and torture in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Aajakia condemned the treatment of activists and citizens, stating:

"Thousands of Baloch and Pashtun peaceful citizens are missing, by the State forces. Often mass graves are discovered, bodies of these missing persons are discovered. Baloch women and children are protesting in different cities to bring their missing persons to Court of law but, State forces wage baton charge and arrest these women and children. Dr Mahrang Baloch is one of many, who are kept in incommunicado detention," said Arif Aajakia.

Aajakia further criticized Pakistan's newly introduced provisional order, which permits security forces to detain individuals for up to 90 days without producing them in court, calling the measure inconsistent with international treaties. He concluded by urging the Council to call on Pakistan to uphold fundamental rights and requested that a UN fact-finding mission be dispatched to Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

(With Agency Input)