HRCP demands judicial inquiry into 924 deaths in Punjab ‘encounter’ operations

WEB DESK: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called for an urgent high-level judicial inquiry into hundreds of deaths resulting from operations conducted by Punjab’s Crime Control Department (CCD), alleging that the force has adopted a deliberate policy of staged police encounters amounting to ‘extrajudicial killings’.

In a fact-finding report released on February 17, HRCP concluded that the pattern, frequency and uniformity of the operations indicate an institutionalised practice rather than isolated instances of misconduct. The commission warned that such actions fundamentally undermine constitutional protections and the rule of law in the province.

According to the report, at least 670 CCD-led encounters were documented over eight months in 2025, resulting in the deaths of 924 suspects. During the same period, only two police officers were reported killed. HRCP described the casualty imbalance — averaging more than two fatal encounters per day — as deeply alarming and inconsistent with lawful policing standards.

Alleged legal violations and lack of oversight

The fact-finding mission said its review revealed systematic violations of both domestic law and Pakistan’s international human rights obligations. Under the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Act 2022, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is required to investigate every custodial death under the supervision of the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR). However, the mission said it found no evidence that this mandatory procedure was consistently followed in the cases examined.

In at least one petition reviewed, the court — rather than law enforcement authorities — directed the FIA to initiate an investigation. The report further noted that magisterial inquiries required under Sections 174–176 of the Code of Criminal Procedure also appeared not to have been conducted.

HRCP expressed disappointment that the Punjab government, CCD officials and police representatives did not respond to its request for meetings during the inquiry. The commission said this lack of engagement reflected an institutional unwillingness to address serious allegations of human rights violations.

The report also documented what it described as a pervasive climate of fear among families of those killed. In one case, relatives alleged that police officials pressured them to bury the deceased immediately and warned that other family members could be harmed if they pursued legal action.

Call for moratorium and independent oversight

The commission stated that CCD operations appeared to contravene the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, which require that lethal force be used only when absolutely necessary and proportionate, and that violations be subject to accountability.

It further observed that press releases and first information reports in encounter cases followed an almost identical narrative — alleging that suspects fired first, that police acted in self-defence and that those killed were hardened criminals — suggesting a coordinated pattern rather than independent operational outcomes.

HRCP stressed that sustainable public safety cannot be achieved through “lethal shortcuts” that bypass due process. Among its key recommendations, the commission called for an immediate province-wide moratorium on encounter operations until comprehensive safeguards and independent oversight mechanisms are established. It also urged mandatory FIA investigations into all encounter-related deaths under NCHR supervision, the creation of an independent civilian police oversight commission, and compensation for the families of those killed.