Islamabad, September 1: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called on the federal government to end the practice of enforced disappearances, stressing that it constitutes a crime against humanity under international law.
Marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, HRCP urged authorities to recover all missing persons promptly and safely, present them before courts of law, and ensure due process. It demanded urgent legislation to criminalise enforced disappearances and the ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
“Those accused of crimes must be dealt with in accordance with the law, with their right to fair trial upheld,” HRCP stated in a post on X. The group further called for accountability of individuals and institutions involved in enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and custodial torture.
The rights body demanded the appointment of a new chairperson to the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances and restructuring of the commission to better address the concerns of victims’ families. It also urged the creation of a transparent mechanism for reparations, particularly for women who have lost household earners to such practices.
The HRCP’s statement comes amid ongoing reports of enforced disappearances in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan. According to a July 2025 report by the Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB), 112 cases were documented across the province. Of these, 89 individuals remain missing, 15 were released, and eight were killed in custody.
The report highlighted that 106 were first-time abductions, with eight minors among the disappeared. Most cases—77 in total—occurred during house raids, while others involved street detentions, checkpoint abductions, or summons to military camps.
The findings underscore HRCP’s demand for urgent reforms to end the cycle of impunity surrounding enforced disappearances in Pakistan.
