Washington DC [US] February 4 : Pakistani authorities intensified their crackdown on media freedom, political opposition and civil society groups in 2025 by using vague and overbroad laws, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said in its World Report 2026.
According to the HRW report, the actions violated Pakistan's international human rights obligations and created a climate of fear among journalists, activists and rights organisations.
"Pakistani authorities have increased suppression in violation of Pakistan's international human rights obligations," said Elaine Pearson, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch.
She added, "Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government should focus on addressing longstanding human rights issues and stop muzzling those who bring attention to them."
In its 529-page World Report 2026, the 36th edition of HRW's annual assessment covering human rights practices in more than 100 countries, the organisation documented widespread intimidation, harassment and violence against journalists throughout 2025.
According to HRW, journalists in Pakistan faced harassment, arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearances and physical attacks for reporting critically on the government or militant groups. Government threats and attacks on the media, the report said, fostered an environment of fear that extended to civil society organisations.
The report also highlighted Pakistan's continued enforcement of blasphemy laws, which HRW said have been repeatedly misused to target religious minorities, enabling arbitrary arrests, violence, unlawful evictions and land grabs. A separate HRW investigation found that the blasphemy provisions have been exploited for blackmail and profit, disproportionately affecting poor and minority communities.
While noting that the Pakistani government announced plans in October to introduce procedural safeguards to reform the blasphemy law, HRW said abuses under the existing legal framework continued during the year.
Human Rights Watch further raised concern over the government's mass deportation drive against Afghan refugees. According to the report, Pakistan confirmed in July 2025 that even Afghans recognised as refugees for decades would face deportation. HRW stated that at least 531,700 Afghans were coerced into leaving Pakistan through violence and intimidation during the year.
The report also documented pressure on nongovernmental organisations, citing intimidation, surveillance and bureaucratic hurdles imposed by authorities. HRW said Pakistan's policy of regulating international NGOs was used to obstruct the registration and functioning of international human rights and humanitarian groups.
In the introduction to the report, HRW Executive Director Philippe Bolopion warned that breaking the global wave of authoritarianism is "the challenge of a generation." He noted that the international human rights system faces unprecedented threats and urged democracies and civil society to build a strategic alliance to defend fundamental freedoms.
Human Rights Watch called on Pakistani authorities to remove arbitrary restrictions on freedom of expression, amend discriminatory laws that promote violence against religious minorities, and halt mass deportations of Afghan refugees.
The organisation also urged Pakistan's allies to press the government to revise laws, policies and practices to improve respect for human rights.