Balochistan Disappearances, Military Trials, Internet Blackouts: EU Paints Grim Picture Of Pakistan

Published 17 July 2026 · europe

Balochistan Disappearances, Military Trials, Internet Blackouts: EU Paints Grim Picture Of Pakistan Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: July 17, 2026, 09:36 IST A European

Balochistan Disappearances, Military Trials, Internet Blackouts: EU Paints Grim Picture Of Pakistan Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: July 17, 2026, 09:36 IST A European Commission report, covering the 2023-2025 monitoring period, flags serious shortcomings in Pakistan's implementation of commitments under the GSP+ framework Rapid Read Rescue and recovery teams were immediately dispatched to the crash site and launched operations in the area. (ANI File for representation) A new European Commission assessment has painted a deeply critical picture of Pakistan’s human rights record, raising concerns over enforced disappearances, restrictions on civil liberties, judicial independence, minority rights and labour protections. The findings come as Pakistan’s continued access to the European Union’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trade benefits remains linked to its compliance with international human rights and governance conventions. The report, covering the 2023-2025 monitoring period, flags what it describes as serious shortcomings in Pakistan’s implementation of commitments under the GSP+ framework. Among its most serious observations is the rise in enforced disappearances, particularly in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Commission notes that amendments to Balochistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act have expanded preventive detention powers, drawing criticism from rights groups that argue the changes allow arbitrary detention of activists, students and journalists without adequate legal safeguards.

The report also points to repeated internet shutdowns in Balochistan, saying communication blackouts have restricted access to information and hampered documentation of alleged abuses. It questions the effectiveness of Pakistan’s Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, noting that while more than 9,000 cases have been disposed of, there have been no prosecutions of those allegedly responsible. The Commission further records that Islamabad has not proposed legislation specifically criminalising enforced disappearances. Concerns extend to law enforcement practices, with the report citing civil society documentation of a sharp rise in alleged extrajudicial killings, including hundreds of deaths in reported “police encounters" in Punjab. It also says torture remains widespread despite anti-torture legislation, while confessions allegedly extracted under coercion continue to be admissible in anti-terrorism proceedings. The Commission also criticises the use of military courts to try civilians, arguing that such trials fall short of international fair trial standards. The assessment highlights increasing pressure on political opponents, journalists and civil society organisations. It says Pakistan’s electronic crimes law (PECA) and defamation provisions have been used against journalists and human rights defenders, contributing to the country’s decline to 158th place in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index.