Press release Solidarity with forcibly disappeared persons across the world Lahore, 30 August 2019. As we observe International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expresses solidarity with all victims of enforced disappearance the world over. Our thoughts are also with those Kashmiris who have been forcibly disappeared as part of [ Read more ]

Pakistan National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), FORUM-ASIA member in Pakistan, published its latest report titled ‘Education & Religious Freedom: a fact sheet’. Since the past seven years, NCJP has been annually observing and analyzing the National Education Policy and Curriculum along with the content prevalent in the textbooks taught in public schools across Pakistan. The [ Read more ]

As freedom of expression is being curtailed and civic space is shrinking across Asia, few groups are as much under pressure as the media and human rights defenders. Both are facing harassment, incarceration and even being killed in countries across the region. However, in most instances the two do not manage to overcome their differences [ Read more ]

Threats to Gulalai Ismail’s family must stop  Lahore, 5 July. HRCP is seriously concerned over reports that activist Gulalai Ismail’s family has been threatened, allegedly by state agencies, in connection with her work as a human rights defender. HRCP urges the state to investigate the recent raid on Ms Ismail’s house in Islamabad, reportedly by a [ Read more ]

HRCP demands parliamentary commission on Waziristan Lahore, 27 May 2019. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is alarmed by the use of military force causing deaths of at least three Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) activists in North Waziristan. HRCP believes that this will further escalate tensions between PTM supporters and security institutions, consequently leading to [ Read more ]

  FORUM-ASIA member Bytes for All, Pakistan published the fourth edition of “Internet Landscape of Pakistan”. The report focuses on trends in local cyberspace related to key topics including internet access, censorship and privacy, cybercrime and hacking, child porn, blasphemy, fake news, e-commerce and fin-tech/branchless banking, among others. *** The fourth edition of “Internet Landscape [ Read more ]

Civil society organisations from across South Asia, see full list of signatories below, are deeply concerned about the recent tensions between Pakistan and India. We call up on the Governments of the two countries to take immediate steps to further de-escalate the tension, to create an enabling environment for peace dialogue, and to protect human [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 27 February 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is deeply concerned over the rapid escalation of the tension between Pakistan and India, and urges both Governments to show restraint and caution to assure recent incidents do not accelerate into a full-out confrontation. No one benefits from renewed violent conflict [ Read more ]

End all forms of gender-based violence Lahore, 1 December 2018. As part of its campaign marking 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) organised a theatrical performance and dance recital to underscore the prevalence of violence against women and girls in Pakistan. Held at the Dorab Patel Auditorium [ Read more ]

(Kathmandu/Bangkok, 2 November 2018) – The Asian Forum for Human Right and Development (FORUM-ASIA) welcomes the historic decision by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to acquit Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who was sentenced to death on blasphemy charges in 2010. Bibi was accused of insulting the Prophet Mohammed by fellow labourers after a heated [ Read more ]