On 23 May, the National Assembly unanimously passed the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriages Restraint Bill 2025, aimed at curbing early and forced marriages. The new law raises the minimum marriage age from 16 to 18 for both men and women, and imposes stricter penalties, including up to seven years of prison, for those who facilitate or coerce children into early marriage. Rights experts and United Nations officials have praised the bill as a landmark achievement in promoting gender equality and safeguarding children’s rights. Beyond the Sindh province and now Islamabad, child marriage remains legal at the age of 16 for girls and 18 for boys. The legislation follows a similar bill that was enacted in the Sindh province in 2013, with activist’s hopeful that this latest bill (passed by both houses) will set a precedent for other regions to follow. The bill was signed into law by President Asif Ali Zardari on 30 May.

Sources: UN Women, Dawn, The Guardian

In January, Pakistan’s parliament enacted amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), criminalizing the spread of “fake or false information” with penalties of fines or up to three years in prison. The amendments create four new government-controlled bodies to regulate online content. Rights experts and media advocates have widely condemned the bill for undermining what little is left of digital expression in the country and for containing vague and overbroad language. The previous PECA was known for targeting journalists critical of the government and the new amendments are seen as further stifling press freedom. Prohibited content includes publications opposing “the ideology of Pakistan”, disrupting civic life through public intimidation, or criticizing individuals, including the judiciary, armed forces, parliament, or provincial assembly members. The bill faced backlash for lacking adequate civil society consultation. The development follows parliament’s passage of the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2025, aimed at establishing citizens’ digital identities and centralizing economic, social and governance data. Rights experts have raised concerns over privacy rights and the country’s shift toward a surveillance state.

Sources: Dawn,  Deutsch Welle, International Federation of Journalists, Human Rights Watch, IFEX

In 2024, Pakistan saw a 66 per cent increase in deaths from terrorism and counter-terrorism from 2023, according to a recent report from the Pakistan Center for Research and Security Studies. In total, 2,546 people are reported to have died, including civilians and security personnel. The figures mark 2024 as one of the deadliest years for security forces in nearly a decade. 94 per cent of terror-related fatalities occurred in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, regions which only account for 23 per cent of the population. Nearly twice as many deaths occurred in Balochistan compared to 2023. The Pakistani Taliban (formally Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan) and the Baloch Liberation Army were responsible for a majority of attacks.

Sources: Center for Research and Security Studies, Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle (DW) 

At the end of November, thousands of supporters of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party marched from Peshawar to Islamabad (160 kms) to protest for the release of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Between 24 and 26 November, police and army forces arrested over 1,000 protestors. The protests are part of continuous and escalating clashes between Khan supporters and state forces. The recent protests are particularly remarkable for directly defying the military, the intense backlash from state forces and their sheer scale. Police and army forces locked down Islamabad, banning all assemblies, blocking the roads with shipping containers, and closing all educational institutions. Internet and telecommunication services were partially shut down as well. Under recent legislation, protests in certain parts of Islamabad, called “red zones”, have been severely limited, while punishments for participating in illegal assemblies have greatly increased.

Sources: Straits Times (1), Straits Times (2), Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle (DW), International IDEA, Dawn