Non-violence

Experts suggest the Eid address serves multiple purposes: rallying domestic support, discouraging dissent, and messaging the international community ahead of potential future talks. With Akhundzada rarely appearing publicly and operating primarily from Kandahar, his sermons remain key vehicles for policy direction.

Civil society groups and Sufi organisations have urged the government to treat shrine attacks as a national security issue rather than isolated law-and-order problems.

The federal and provincial governments have swiftly condemned the massacre, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice. High-ranking officials have reiterated their commitment to eradicating terrorism and ensuring the safety of industrial workers in Balochistan.

The rating places Pakistan among nations where freedoms of association, peaceful assembly and expression are systematically curtailed, despite constitutional guarantees and the country’s ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in 2010.

Independent observers note that without accountability, the culture of impunity will only deepen. Families continue to lose loved ones in suspicious circumstances, while officers operate with an apparent licence to kill.

The 2026 report, based on interviews with roughly 100,000 people across 140+ countries, reinforces that happiness is not solely about wealth. Social support and trust in institutions often outweigh raw GDP in explaining national differences. Costa Rica’s surge into the top four proves that strong community ties and life satisfaction can propel mid-income nations upward.

Human Rights Watch lambasts the “explosive mob vigilantism,” calling for safeguards against assaults on journalists (340 incidents in 2025) and minorities.

The event reflects continued activism in Sri Lanka, where economic recovery has not erased memories of the struggle or resolved grievances over state responses.