HRCP Urges Pakistan to Reform Failing Anti-Torture Framework

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) reports that physical and psychological torture continue in Pakistani detention facilities despite the enactment of the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Act 2022. During an EU-supported roundtable in Islamabad for its 'Against Torture' campaign, the commission identified weak safeguards, insufficient accountability, and poor implementation as the primary drivers of these abuses.

The HRCP formally alerted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that the current legal framework is inadequate. These findings mirror concerns from the United Nations Committee against Torture, which in May 2026 highlighted retaliation against lawyers, journalists, and political opponents. Legal experts noted that structural issues first flagged during a 2017 UN review remain unresolved.

Commission members and legal experts are calling for the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture to enable unannounced inspections. They also seek the abolition or civilian oversight of internment centers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the amendment of Prison Rules to meet international standards. In response to the roundtable, Law Ministry advisor Usman Ali invited the HRCP to submit formal recommendations to improve the national framework.