In a report, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said the CCD appears to treat encounter killings as a regular policy, raising serious concerns about the rule of law and constitutional rights in Punjab.
The report cited press sources showing at least 670 CCD encounters in the first eight months of 2025, resulting in 924 deaths. In comparison, only two police officers died during the same period. This sharp imbalance, with more than two fatal encounters per day, points to a systematic pattern rather than isolated events.
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HRCP said these killings violated both Pakistani law and international human rights obligations. According to the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Act, 2022, every custodial death must be investigated by the FIA under the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR). HRCP found little evidence that this was done consistently, though one court had ordered an FIA inquiry.
Mandatory magisterial inquiries under Sections 174 to 176 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CCP) also seemed to be ignored. The Punjab government, CCD, and police reportedly did not respond to meeting requests, showing a lack of transparency.
The report described an “atmosphere of fear” among families. One family claimed police pressured them into immediate burial and threatened consequences if they pursued the case. Such actions could constitute obstruction of justice and criminal offenses.
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HRCP Chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt said CCD operations go against United Nations standards on the use of force, which require lethal force to be used only when unavoidable and proportionate, with accountability for violations.
The HRCP recommended halting encounter-based operations immediately, ensuring FIA investigations under NCHR supervision, creating an independent civilian police oversight commission, and compensating families of victims. The report emphasized that sustainable law and order cannot rely on extrajudicial killings.
