924 deaths in eight months; seeks to put an end to extrajudicial actions and investigations carried out by the FIA
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called for the formation of a high-level judicial commission to probe deaths resulting from operations carried out by the Crime Control Department (CCD) Punjab, alleging a series of police encounters and extrajudicial killings.
In an investigative report released in Lahore, the HRCP alleged that the CCD had adopted contact killings “as a matter of policy”, undermining the rule of law and constitutional guarantees in the province.
Citing press reports, the commission said at least 670 encounters with the CCD were recorded in the first eight months of 2025, during which 924 suspects were killed. On the other hand, only two police officers lost their lives during the same period. The “high disparity,” coupled with an average of more than two fatal encounters per day, indicates a systematic trend rather than isolated incidents, the report added.
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The HRCP said its mission found violations of domestic law as well as Pakistan’s international human rights obligations. Referring to the Torture and Custodial Deaths (Prevention and Punishment) Act, 2022, he noted that every custodial death must be investigated by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) under the supervision of the National Human Rights Commission (NCHR), but said he found no clear evidence of compliance in the cases examined. In one case, a court ordered the FIA to investigate.
The report adds that mandatory legal proceedings under Articles 174 to 176 of the Code of Criminal Procedure also do not appear to have been carried out. He further said that the Punjab government, CCD and police authorities had not responded to requests for meetings, reflecting what he described as a lack of transparency.
The investigation team highlighted an “atmosphere of fear” among the affected families. One family claimed police pressured them to carry out an immediate burial and warned them of consequences if the matter continued. Such threats, according to the report, would constitute a criminal offense and obstruct justice.
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HRCP Chairman Asad Iqbal Butt said the CCD’s actions were inconsistent with the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, which stipulate that lethal force should only be used when strictly unavoidable and proportionate, and that accountability for violations should be ensured.
He stressed the need for immediate and transparent judicial investigations to uphold the rule of law.
The report warns that lasting public order cannot be achieved through extrajudicial measures. It recommended the immediate cessation of clash-based operations, mandatory FIA investigations under the supervision of the NCHR, the establishment of an independent civilian police monitoring commission and compensation to the families of those killed.
