Islamabad, Jan 1:
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed serious concerns over the deteriorating security and law-and-order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) throughout 2025. The province, including its former tribal districts, has witnessed frequent militant attacks, leaving civilians, security personnel, and governance structures vulnerable.
In its latest report titled “Caught in the Crossfire: Civilians, Security and the Crisis of Justice in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Merged Districts”, the HRCP cited data from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, noting that at least 82 militant attacks occurred nationwide in July 2025 alone, with KP accounting for nearly two-thirds of them. In September, 45 attacks were recorded in the province, resulting in 54 deaths and 49 injuries. The merged districts reported 20 attacks in that month, killing 21 people, including six security personnel, three militants, and 12 civilians, while seven others were injured.
The report highlighted that the province faces threats from multiple militant groups. Mian Iftikhar Hussain, President of the Awami National Party (ANP) in KP, described the security situation as far more precarious than perceived, citing the activity of terrorist groups including Daesh across both merged and settled districts. Sikandar Sherpao, provincial president of the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), stated that approximately 550 violent incidents occurred in 2025, mostly in merged districts, aggravated by “copycat groups and hardened criminal networks.” He singled out Waziristan and Bajaur as particularly vulnerable, warning that IS-K’s influence had intensified to the point that civil servants and police reportedly hid by late afternoon.
The HRCP further expressed concern over enforced disappearances, political victimisation of movements such as the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), and harassment of progressive parties like the ANP. The report also highlighted threats to press freedom, citing “censorship, intimidation, and targeted attacks against journalists,” particularly those covering militant violence and enforced disappearances.
The HRCP called for urgent measures to restore law and order, uphold constitutional rights, and ensure protection of civilians, civil servants, and journalists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
