Pakistan Before the UN Committee Against Torture: A Reckoning Long Overdue
In 2026, the UN Committee Against Torture issued a damning assessment of Pakistan, highlighting a vast gap between legislation and reality. Despite laws like the 2022 Torture Act, torture is practiced with near impunity. The report cites widespread enforced disappearances, abusive blasphemy accusations leading to solitary confinement, and severely overcrowded prisons. The Committee urges Pakistan to ensure accountability, amend legal definitions, and protect minorities and human rights defenders from state abuse and systemic neglect.
