Pakistan Faces Mounting Curbs on Freedoms
Amnesty International on Tuesday issued a stark warning that human rights worldwide face an unprecedented and accelerating threat. The organisation’s annual report, The State of the World’s Human Rights 2026, describes a decisive shift from gradual decline to a systemic crisis driven by powerful actors.
Secretary General Agnès Callamard stressed that authorities no longer erode rights at the margins; instead, they directly challenge the global human rights framework to consolidate control and avoid accountability. Consequently, the report highlights worsening conditions across 144 countries.
In Pakistan, Amnesty documented sustained restrictions on civil liberties. Authorities, it said, tightened online speech and anti-terror laws, which led to arrests of journalists, activists and opposition members. Moreover, the report criticised legal changes, including the 27th Amendment, for weakening judicial independence and expanding immunity for top officials.
Security agencies continued to use detention, censorship and surveillance to curb dissent. For instance, regulators blocked online content and allegedly deployed advanced monitoring systems. Meanwhile, enforced disappearances persisted, and protests—particularly in Balochistan and Sindh—faced suppression, sometimes with deadly consequences.
Conflicts, Inequality and Technology Drive Global Decline
Globally, Amnesty linked the crisis to escalating conflicts and authoritarian practices. It accused Israel of committing grave violations in Gaza, while also noting repression in India and shrinking civic space elsewhere. Additionally, wars in Ukraine, Sudan and Myanmar intensified human suffering.
The report further underscored rising discrimination against migrants and minorities, alongside increasing gender-based violence. At the same time, governments exploited surveillance technologies and artificial intelligence to tighten control.
Nevertheless, Amnesty pointed to ongoing resistance through civil society efforts, offering limited hope amid growing repression.
