Pakistan - June 2025

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