Global rights group Civicus Monitor has rated Pakistan’s civic space “repressed,” citing relentless crackdowns on activists, journalists and protesters more than two years after the coalition government took power.
Pakistan’s civic freedoms have come under sharp international scrutiny following a fresh assessment by the global alliance Civicus. The organisation’s Civicus Monitor has maintained Pakistan’s civic space rating as “repressed” since 2018, but a new research brief warns that the situation has regressed further, particularly since the controversial February 2025 general elections. Authorities stand accused of using counter-terrorism laws, sedition charges and digital restrictions to silence critics, while failing to address longstanding issues such as enforced disappearances.
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.
Crackdown on Political Opposition
Civicus Monitor highlights a systematic effort to crush the political opposition following the February 2025 polls. Former prime minister Imran Khan remains imprisoned on a 2023 graft conviction and was barred from contesting. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party was stripped of its election symbol, forcing candidates to run as independents. The party faced a near-total media blackout, bans on public rallies and widespread arrests of workers and supporters during the campaign period.
Josef Benedict, Asia researcher for Civicus, said the government under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has “escalated its repression of activists, harassing those who defend human rights and silencing critical voices.” The brief notes that arbitrary detentions, harassment and intimidation of PTI members continued even after polling day, contributing to a climate of fear that has stifled legitimate political activity.
Relentless Targeting of Baloch and Ethnic Minority Activists
A particularly alarming aspect of the regression is the systematic crackdown on activists from Pakistan’s ethnic minorities, especially the Baloch. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), a peaceful grassroots movement led by figures such as Dr Mahrang Baloch, has mobilised thousands demanding an end to enforced disappearances and greater accountability in Balochistan.
Civicus has documented repeated bans on BYC gatherings, prolonged detentions of protesters and the use of vague laws to criminalise their peaceful demands. Similar patterns of intimidation have been reported against Pashtun activists. The UN Human Rights Committee has raised serious concerns over frequent cases of enforced disappearances, harassment, threats, torture and killings of rights defenders perceived as critical of the government or security forces.
Human rights defenders including Asad Iqbal Butt and Imaan Zainab Mazari have also faced persecution under criminal defamation, counter-terrorism and sedition laws, creating a broad chilling effect across civil society.
Media Under Siege and Digital Restrictions Tighten
Journalists continue to bear the brunt of the crackdown. Prominent figures such as Imran Riaz Khan, Matiullah Jan and Hamid Mir have been subjected to arrests, harassment and physical attacks. Pakistan slipped to 158th out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, reflecting growing coercion and censorship of media outlets critical of the government, intelligence agencies or the military.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority has suspended television licences and forced channels off air for airing dissenting views. At the same time, the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) is routinely used to target online activists. Authorities frequently block social media platforms and impose internet shutdowns to quell dissent, further limiting citizens’ access to information.
In Islamabad, a new law has expanded the grounds on which public gatherings can be banned – including any event deemed likely to “disrupt daily activities.” Penalties for participating in an “unlawful assembly” have jumped from six months to three years in prison, giving officials sweeping powers to suppress protest.
Government Urged to Reverse Course
Civicus Monitor has called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government to immediately halt the harassment of activists and journalists and to end the crackdown on peaceful protests. “This crackdown on freedoms must stop,” Benedict stressed. “The government must reverse course to protect the rights of activists and allow them to work without fear, interference or retaliation.”
The alliance has also demanded that restrictive laws be revised or repealed to bring them in line with Pakistan’s ICCPR obligations and constitutional protections. It insists that when excessive force is used against protesters, those responsible must be held accountable.
The research brief further notes the government’s failure to respect freedom of association and its continued inaction on the issue of enforced disappearances, both of which have deepened public distrust and undermined the enabling environment civil society requires to function.
Warning for Democratic Backsliding
Two years into the current coalition government’s tenure, the Civicus assessment paints a picture of a country moving in the opposite direction of its international human rights commitments. While the authorities maintain that measures are necessary for national security and public order, the documented pattern of repression – spanning political parties, ethnic movements, media outlets and digital platforms – suggests a broader strategy to stifle independent voices.
Rights groups warn that without urgent reforms, Pakistan risks further isolating itself internationally and deepening domestic instability. The Civicus Monitor brief serves as both a record of regression and a clear roadmap for the government to restore civic space before the situation deteriorates further.
