(Bangkok/Kathmandu, 25 July 2018) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) welcomes and congratulates the people of Pakistan today on Parliamentary Election Day. Today is particularly significant for the country as it takes a step forward in people’s participation and strengthening its democracy. Pakistan has been struggling to strengthen its democracy for [ Read more ]

Islamabad, 16 July 2018. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is gravely concerned over what it sees as blatant, aggressive and unabashed attempts to manipulate the outcome of the upcoming elections. While it is critical that the polls are held as scheduled, there are now ample grounds to doubt their legitimacy – with alarming [ Read more ]

General elections are scheduled for July 25, 2018. It is very welcoming that Pakistan is moving towards its democratic transition. The Elections are a central feature of democracy. For elections to express the will of the electorate, it must be ‘free and fair’. In other words, all those entitled to vote have the right to be registered and to vote. The [ Read more ]

(Kathmandu/Bangkok, 27 June 2018) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is deeply concerned over the shrinking democratic space for free expression and dissent in Pakistan. There is an intensifying crackdown on activists, journalists, human rights defenders, and the civil society, following the announcement of the election dates. FORUM-ASIA urges Pakistani authorities [ Read more ]

38thRegular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 2: General Debate on the Oral Update of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Oral Statement Delivered by Joëlle Kleinon on behalf of World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), and International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Tuesday, 19 [ Read more ]

  Lahore, 25 May 2018. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has noted with grave concern the recent demolition of an Ahmadiyya place of worship in Sialkot as well as a house of historical significance to the community. According to a press release issued by the Jamaat-i-Ahmadiyya spokesperson, up to 35 Municipal Committee personnel [ Read more ]

Pakistan legitimised digital surveillance by broadening the scope of existing legal framework and enacting new disproportionate laws, including the Investigation for Fair Trial Act 2013 and Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016. Unbridled powers to conduct unlawful and arbitrary interceptions on digital communications of citizens, and personal and private data have been granted to law [ Read more ]

Lahore, 20 April 2018: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has condemned the burglary-style raid on the house of the editor of its State of Human Rights report, which was launched on 16 April in Islamabad. In a statement issued here today, the Commission said: ‘At about 8.45 PM last night, two armed men [ Read more ]

Attacks often target Pakistan’s minorities including Christians, Hindus, Shia Hazaras and members of Ahmadiyya sect. On the other hand Pakistan has been battling militant groups and its allies who try to impose fear and instability in the country. The Christian community in Quetta has yet again become a target of the state of rising intolerance [ Read more ]

(30 March 2018) The sudden increase in incidents of violence and intolerance have reached an alarming level. The most recent is the incident of Suneel Masih a young Christian who was brutally tortured by the security guards and doctors at Services Hospital Lahore. Suneel succumbed to death due to the injuries inflicted on him after [ Read more ]