Pakistan’s View When Human Rights Become Political Weapons

Pakistan’s View When Human Rights Become Political Weapons

What happened in Geneva on October 1, 2025, was not anything new for Pakistan. A few European parliamentarians and organizations once again used a “human rights” event to call for suspending Pakistan’s GSP+ trade status. This time, it was during the 60th UN Human Rights Council session, cohosted by CAP Liberté de Conscience, EU Today, and the European Facilitation Platform. They argued that Pakistan is not meeting its human rights obligations. The argument was based on a so called documentary and an old EU white paper.
For anyone following this pattern, it feels familiar. These campaigns pop up every few years, usually timed around UN or EU meetings. They are pushed by the same small network of people, often repeating claims that have already been reviewed and rejected. The 2012 “Assessment of Pakistan’s Non-Compliance” paper, which they still cite, was widely criticized back then for ignoring Pakistan’s progress, and for applying double standards of being tough on some countries, while giving others a free pass.

Pakistan’s Record Is not What These Critics Claim

Moving forward, in the last decade, Pakistan has done a lot to strengthen its human rights framework. There are federal and provincial laws now that did not exist before, covering everything from gender based violence to media protection. A few cases in point really stand out in this regard. Firstly, in 2021, the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act became law, giving reporters legal protection and a system to investigate threats against them. Secondly, the Anti-Rape Act the same year set up special courts and required forensic evidence in investigations, so victims do not have to face the same old roadblocks. Thirdly, the Domestic Violence Acts passed between 2020 and 2022 finally made domestic abuse a recognized crime with mechanisms for protection and support. Fourthly, the Transgender Persons Act (2018) was one of the most progressive laws in the region, recognizing self-identified gender and protecting access to education, jobs, and public services. Fifthly, the Zainab Alert Act (2020) established a national child protection and missing children system. On top of that, Pakistan’s National Commission on Human Rights continues to function as an independent watchdog. It investigates violations, reviews laws, and regularly advises the government on international compliance. Hence, these are not just checkboxes for the EU, but they are real and measurable reforms.

The Bigger Issue, Using Human Rights for Politics

Moreover, there is a growing global habit of weaponizing human rights to apply political pressure, especially on developing countries. Instead of promoting reform, it often turns into a way to embarrass or corner governments, which do not fall neatly in line with Western policy priorities.

Similarly, Pakistan has also seen that dissident groups abroad with questionable links, use international platforms to amplify anti-state narratives. They claim to speak for “the oppressed”, but many ignore or even excuse the violence committed by terrorist outfits like the BLA and BLF. People like Mahrang Baloch testify to this point. She talks a lot about abuses by the state but says nothing about attacks by separatist groups that kill civilians and soldiers.

This selective advocacy reveals that human rights are often used not for justice, but for advancing political agendas.

Besides, there is also credible evidence that some hostile agencies quietly support such voices and fund the propaganda under the label of “advocacy.” Media platforms like MEMRI and The Diplomat have run an unusual number of stories focused on Baluchistan, over two dozen in just a few months this year, pushing a narrative that looks more like a lobbying effort than independent journalism.

The Double Standards Are Hard to Ignore

Further, what adds salt to the wound is the silence of these same Western voices, when it comes to rights abuses in their own backyards or in India. Reports from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and even the UN have consistently highlighted issues like racial violence, Islamophobia, and police brutality in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany.

Meanwhile, it is also getting worse in India, and not better. The 2025 United States Human Rights Report noted how Indian authorities used censorship, arbitrary arrests, and politically motivated charges to crush dissent. Over 100 people died in police custody in the first eight months of 2024 alone. Reporters Without Borders keeps ranking India among the worst countries for journalists. Yet, the same Western bloc that lectures others maintains warm trade and political ties with Delhi.

Additionally, when a Sikh protester was run over during the farmers’ protests in 2021, or when public calls for genocide of Muslims appeared online, there was barely a whisper of outrage from those who claim to champion human rights. However, when it comes to Pakistan, the moral outrage is immediate and loud. That kind of double standard does not go unnoticed.

What Pakistan Really Wants

In reality, Pakistan is not asking for a free pass. Criticism is fine if it is fair and grounded in facts. What it rejects is selective moralism where human rights are used to punish some and protect others. That kind of approach weakens the credibility of human rights advocacy itself. Similarly, the GSP+ scheme should be about cooperation and progress, and not political leverage. Pakistan has shown real commitment to reform while dealing with security challenges, which many Western countries cannot fully understand. Instead of threats and misinformation, the need of the hour is dialogue and a bit of honesty about everyone’s shortcomings including the West’s.

Hence, human rights should unite nations and not divide them into “good” and “bad” camps based on strategic convenience.

Until those changes, Pakistan will keep calling out the hypocrisy, and would keep doing the hard work of reform on its own terms.