A report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has documented a rise in rights violations across Pakistan in 2025, including a 25 percent increase in gender-based violence and thousands of cases involving women, children, and vulnerable groups.
The commission, in its annual review, stated that Pakistan ranked 130th out of 143 countries in the enforcement of fundamental rights and noted an increase in the rate of death penalties.
It stated that 3,417 people were killed and 2,134 injured in 1,272 incidents related to terrorism and counterterrorism operations during the year.
The report maintained that 1,696 people were killed in 1,155 police encounters nationwide. It added that 977 of those deaths occurred in 1,128 encounters carried out by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Punjab.
Prison overcrowding reached 171 percent of capacity, the commission noted, adding that 21,600 Pakistani citizens are currently imprisoned abroad. It further stated that 738 Pakistanis, including fishermen, are held in Indian jails.
On gender indicators, the report stated that Pakistan ranked 145th out of 148 countries on the global gender gap index. It recorded 1,332 women killed in domestic violence incidents, 3,815 rape cases, 2,586 cases of cyber harassment, and 470 killings in the name of honour.
The report further recorded 3,600 cases of violence against children, including 1,107 abduction cases and 365 missing children. It also noted 53 cases of child marriage and stated that 52 cases of child abuse were linked to pornographic content.
The commission stated that 19 transgender persons were killed during the year, while two were subjected to acid attacks. It added that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) recorded 10 of the killings and 13 cases of sexual violence against transgender individuals.
The report also stated that millions more people were pushed below the poverty line in 2025.
