On 27 June, the Supreme Court ruled that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is not eligible to be assigned reserved seats (for women and minorities) in the national and provincial legislatures. The Supreme Court had ruled in July 2024 that despite not running candidates (due to another court ruling depriving the party of its electoral symbol), PTI could be proportionally allocated seats across the national and provincial legislatures. The parties in the governing coalition and the Election Commission asked the Supreme Court to review that decision. In a short order announcing its 27 June ruling, the Supreme Court cited legal and procedural problems in its earlier ruling. With the re-allocation of reserved seats, the governing coalition will have a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly. Critics of the decision highlighted irregularities in the review process and the political stakes of the decision as it continues a series of legal and political disputes between the governing coalition and PTI.

Sources: International IDEA (1), International IDEA (2), The Express Tribune, Daily Islamabad Post, Courting the Law, Dawn

On 4 June, the Balochistan Assembly passed the Anti-Terrorism (Balochistan Amendment) Act, which grants authorities extensive powers to detain any individual suspected of terrorism offenses for up to three months without formal charges. The amendments also establish detention centres and Oversight Boards that are responsible for examining each detainee's case. The government defends this amendment as a necessary measure to combat ongoing insurgent threats. However, critics and human rights experts argue that the law undermines due process and the protection against arbitrary arrest and call for a reassessment or repeal of the amendment. Political analysts view these new measures as excessive and aimed at suppressing dissent in the Balochistan region.

Sources: The Diplomat, Geneva Council, Dawn, Voicepk.net

India and Pakistan exchanged drone, artillery, and missile attacks in May in what were the deadliest hostilities between the two countries in decades. Dozens were reportedly killed on both sides in a conflict which began with a terror attack in India by (allegedly) Pakistani-backed militants on 22 April. India responded with strikes on 7 May on what it said was ‘terrorist infrastructure’ in Pakistan. Pakistan denied that it supported the militants and launched attacks of its own on Indian territory. Attacks by both countries continued until a ceasefire on 10 May, and no further violence has occurred (as of mid-June) since the two states agreed to withdraw troops and open lines of communication between military leaders on 12 May. The outbreak of violence was the deadliest fighting between the two countries since the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War and the first since both countries obtained nuclear weapons. 

Sources:  Foreign Affairs, CSIS, Al Jazeera

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