UN Human Rights Council Condemns Pakistan's Crackdown on Protests

United Nations officials and human rights advocates accused the Government of Pakistan of using lethal force, arbitrary detentions, and enforced disappearances to suppress public dissent during the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk stated that Pakistani authorities used "excessive lethal force and arbitrary detention" to quell protests. He specifically highlighted unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where the Joint Awami Action Committee led demonstrations over governance and electricity prices. Turk contrasted this approach with recent student protests in India, arguing that dialogue with youth leaders is the most effective response.

Other speakers at the session detailed a deteriorating situation in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri and activist Tasleema Akhter reported intensified repression since June 2026, including communication blackouts and civilian deaths. Akhter demanded independent inquiries into these killings and the restoration of civic space.

Additionally, Munir Mengal of the Baloch Voice Association raised alarms over systemic enforced disappearances. He criticized the Pakistan Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances for failing to provide accountability and called for the immediate release of detained activists, including Dr. Mahrang Baloch. The speakers collectively urged the UNHRC to establish independent monitoring mechanisms and seek time-bound reforms within Pakistan.