Pakistan Rights Group Opposes Punjab’s Habitual Offenders Bill, Calls It ‘Regressive’

July 10, 2026

Islamabad: Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission (HRCP), along with lawyers, academics, journalists and civil society activists, has called for the withdrawal of Punjab’s proposed Habitual Offenders Bill, describing it as a “regressive” piece of legislation that could significantly weaken civil liberties and human rights protections in the country.

The demand was made during a roundtable discussion organised by the HRCP, where participants argued that the proposed law grants sweeping powers to authorities while using vague definitions that could lead to arbitrary action against citizens.

Concerns over vague provisions

Human rights lawyer Asad Jamal said the bill’s primary objective appeared to be enabling the state to bypass civil liberties through loosely defined terms such as “habitual offender” and “anti-social behaviour.”

He also raised concerns over Section 5 of the proposed legislation, which would allow the provincial government to authorise an intelligence committee to register cases against individuals identified as habitual offenders, allegedly without sufficient accountability or oversight.

Experts call Bill ‘repressive’

Academic Adnan Sattar described the proposed legislation as an extreme example of “repressive legality” and urged civil society groups to continue campaigning against laws that undermine democratic freedoms.

HRCP Punjab Vice-Chair Raja Ashraf expressed concern that legislative debate in Pakistan had become increasingly restricted, limiting meaningful scrutiny of proposed laws.

Lawyer Ali Javed Darugar argued that the bill reflects an extension of colonial-era legal frameworks and stressed that greater devolution of power and stronger state accountability were essential to protect citizens’ rights.

PTI lawmaker questions constitutionality

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) legislator Sheikh Imtiaz alleged that the proposed law violates at least 14 provisions of Pakistan’s Constitution, including guarantees relating to a fair trial and freedom of movement.

He also claimed that lawmakers were frequently denied adequate access to draft legislation before it was introduced for debate.

HRCP raises wider human rights concerns

The HRCP also referred to its recent concerns over alleged extrajudicial killings in Punjab province. Last month, the rights body claimed that 808 police encounters had resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,100 suspects, raising serious questions about the use of lethal force by law enforcement agencies.

The commission further called for an independent judicial inquiry into the death of a nine-year-old child during a police operation, arguing that internal departmental action alone could not substitute for independent oversight.

The proposed Habitual Offenders Bill continues to draw criticism from rights groups, which warn that, if enacted, it could have far-reaching implications for civil liberties and due process in Pakistan.