Forced disappearances

As protests grow, human rights defenders are calling on Pakistan’s new administration to take immediate steps.

In the wake of the New York Times’ revelations, key questions arise: Why was Golsteyn targeted so aggressively while the Nerkh case was quashed? Which decisions were taken higher up the chain of command? And what reforms, if any, will emerge to prevent recurrence?

Critics point to continued arbitrary detentions and institutionalised opacity, especially in Tamil-majority regions.

Dhaka has for decades pressed Islamabad for three key steps: a formal apology for the atrocities committed by the Pakistani military during the 1971 war, repayment of an estimated USD 4.5 billion owed to Bangladesh since independence, and the repatriation of thousands of Pakistanis stranded in the country.

UN-mandated independent investigators have uncovered “systematic torture” in Myanmar’s military-run detention facilities.

Of Islamabad's approximately 41,520 registered Afghan citizens, many retain memories of earlier refuge. Before 2006, some 25,000 had lived in a refugee camp within the Islamabad Capital Territory.

Sri Lanka’s Government has a “historic opportunity” to end decades of impunity and deliver justice for victims of past violations, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) has said, urging sweeping reforms to address crimes committed during and after the country’s civil war.

Since the military coup in February 2021, nearly 6,800 civilians have been killed and over 22,000 remain arbitrarily detained, he said. Humanitarian needs have soared, with nearly 22 million people in need of assistance and more than 3.5 million displaced by conflict.