A damning NCHR report reveals how Pakistan’s rehabilitation centres, meant to heal, have become sites of unlawful detention, forced sedation, and abuse – especially targeting women amid family disputes.

In a stark indictment of Pakistan’s mental health and rehabilitation infrastructure, the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) has released a hard-hitting investigative report titled “Caged in Care: Investigating Human Rights Violations in Rehabilitation Centres.” Launched on May 19, 2026, under an EU- and UNDP-supported project, the report paints a grim picture of facilities where care has given way to captivity.

Drawing from survivor testimonies, on-site inspections, staff interviews, and legal reviews – primarily focused on Islamabad but reflective of national trends – the document details unlawful confinements, involuntary admissions without medical justification, physical abuse, medical negligence, and a near-total absence of oversight. With hundreds of such centres operating across the country, many in converted residential buildings, the findings suggest a profit-driven industry exploiting vulnerable individuals under the pretext of treatment.

Women as Primary Victims of Patriarchal Control

The report highlights a disturbing pattern: rehabilitation centres are increasingly weaponised as tools of family and patriarchal control. Women challenging property disputes, resisting forced marriages, or asserting autonomy frequently find themselves institutionalised against their will.

One harrowing case involves a practising female lawyer in Islamabad. According to the NCHR, masked men entered her home amid a property conflict with her brothers, rendered her unconscious, and transported her to a rehab facility. She remained confined until the Commission intervened following a complaint. Investigators found no medical basis for her detention.

Testimonies reveal night-time abductions and forced sedation. A woman from Karachi described being restrained and injected after a family argument: “A man climbed on top of me. He grabbed me and injected me.” Another recounted being pulled from her bed following a dispute with her father. Such “involuntary pickups” were openly advertised by centres, with 100 per cent of those surveyed admitting they required no documentation – only a verbal request from a family member.

NCHR Chairperson Rabiya Javeri Agha emphasised during the launch: “This is not about isolated cases. It is about a system that has allowed control to take the place of care, particularly in the lives of women.”

Inside the Facilities – Neglect, Overcrowding, and Dehumanisation

Conditions inside many centres fall far short of therapeutic standards. The report documents overcrowded and unhygienic rooms, expired medicines, underqualified staff, and heavy reliance on sedation and isolation rather than evidence-based psychiatric care or counselling. Some facilities emphasised religious instruction over medical treatment, with one patient reporting: “We get up at 5 a.m. and spend the whole day praying. There was no treatment for my illness.”

Minors as young as 15 were reportedly housed with adults in certain cases, raising serious safeguarding concerns. Communication with the outside world was often restricted, and patients had little access to legal recourse or independent medical reviews.

Regulatory failures compound the crisis. In Islamabad alone, around 300 centres operate, yet only about 25 are formally registered with the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority. Registration costs as little as Rs. 5,000, enabling minimal scrutiny. Staff reportedly told investigators: “We don’t need any tests… just let us know the address where we should pick the patient up.”

A Legal and Institutional Vacuum

Pakistan’s mental health framework remains fragmented, with weak enforcement of provincial laws and no robust national accountability mechanisms. The NCHR report argues that many centres function more like private detention facilities than healthcare institutions, driven by financial incentives rather than patient welfare.

These practices violate constitutional protections of dignity, liberty, and equality, as well as Pakistan’s international human rights commitments against arbitrary detention and ill-treatment.

UNDP Pakistan Deputy Resident Representative Van Nguyen called for stronger monitoring: “Strengthening trust in institutional care requires not only clear standards, but also effective implementation, monitoring, and accessible mechanisms for redress.”

Broader Context and Calls for Reform

Pakistan grapples with rising substance abuse, particularly in urban areas like Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, where demand for rehab services has surged. However, the lack of quality, regulated facilities has created opportunities for exploitation. While some reputable centres exist, the NCHR investigation underscores that systemic gaps allow abuse to flourish unchecked.

The report recommends urgent reforms: stricter licensing and inspections, mandatory psychiatric evaluations and judicial oversight for involuntary admissions, independent monitoring bodies, gender-sensitive protocols, and accessible complaint mechanisms. It also urges better training for staff and integration of evidence-based mental health practices.

Civil society and legal experts attending the launch echoed the need for immediate action to prevent rehabilitation centres from becoming instruments of suppression.

As Pakistan confronts its mental health challenges amid social pressures and economic strain, the NCHR’s findings serve as a wake-up call. Without comprehensive reform, the promise of care risks remaining a facade for captivity, eroding public trust in institutions meant to protect the vulnerable.