The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called on the Pakistani government to enhance the country’s legal framework to combat torture and custodial abuse. The HRCP emphasized that such abuses are widespread within Pakistan’s criminal justice system, occurring regularly in lockups, prisons, and interrogation rooms. It urged authorities to amend the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Act 2022 to specifically address psychological torture as a distinct offense.
The HRCP also appealed for reforms in investigative procedures to ensure their autonomy from entities like law enforcement agencies that may be involved in such abuses. It highlighted that survivors of torture often suffer long-lasting psychological trauma, with families of victims left without closure or justice. Despite Pakistan’s ratification of the Convention against Torture in 2010 and the enactment of the Torture and Custodial Death Act in 2022, enforcement of the legislation remains weak, leading to a lack of accountability for perpetrators.
The HRCP underscored that torture, though illegal, has become institutionalized in some cases, with interrogators trained in its methods and facilities designated for its use. This normalization of torture reflects a corrosion of the checks meant to limit state power. The commission warned that the pervasive use of torture not only harms its direct victims but also erodes trust in institutions responsible for safeguarding human rights and justice.
In a recent letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the HRCP expressed deep concern over the prevalence of torture and other forms of mistreatment in detention facilities across Pakistan. It highlighted the inadequacy of the existing legal framework in preventing such acts and emphasized the lack of systematic monitoring and reporting on torture incidents, hindering efforts to address the issue effectively.
