Pakistan faces scrutiny over child exploitation and transnational repression

Pakistan is facing increasing international and domestic scrutiny regarding human rights violations. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has raised alarms over a deepening crisis of online child sexual exploitation. A comparative study indicates approximately 41.3 cases of exposure to child sexual abuse material per 10,000 people in the country. The HRCP noted that Pakistan serves as both a site of victimization and a node in global networks for the production and circulation of such material, facilitated by unregulated digital infrastructures.

In a recent operation in the Muzaffargarh district of Punjab, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) dismantled an international exploitation network allegedly led by a German national. The group reportedly operated a ‘fight club’ to exploit children aged six to ten, live-streaming abuse on the dark web to international buyers.

Separately, reports from the Asian Centre for Human Rights highlight instances of transnational repression by the Pakistani government. At least 28 cases involving 48 victims across 14 countries have been identified. Targets include journalists, human rights defenders, and political opponents living abroad. Recent legal tensions have emerged following the alleged detention of Pakistani citizens in the United Arab Emirates at the behest of the Pakistani government, leading to contempt notices issued to Foreign Secretary Asim Iftikhar.