ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), with the support of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has officially released a groundbreaking investigative report exposing severe human rights abuse in rehabilitation centres across Pakistan. Titled “Caged in Care: Investigating Human Rights Abuse in Rehabilitation Centres,” the document was developed under the Huqooq-e-Pakistan II project and launched on May 18, 2026.

The comprehensive investigation draws on direct testimonies from both current and former patients, alongside a rigorous evaluation of the country's institutional and legal frameworks. The findings reveal a disturbing, widespread pattern of systemic regulatory failure, complete lack of oversight, and missing accountability mechanisms within selected private and public institutional care facilities.

The launch event in the federal capital brought together senior government representatives, civil development partners, legal experts, and civil society advocates to catalyze an evidence-based dialogue on establishing strict legal safeguards for vulnerable institutionalized individuals.

Weaponizing Mental Health to Target Women

The report sheds critical light on the deeply gendered dimensions of institutional care in Pakistan, documenting how mental health frameworks are being actively misused to strip women of their autonomy. According to verified testimonies, multiple women were involuntarily admitted to these facilities under the guise of medical treatment, but in reality, they were confined due to family disputes, resisting forced marriages, or attempting to exercise basic civil rights.

“This is not about isolated cases, it is about a system that has allowed control to take the place of care, particularly in the lives of women,” stated NCHR Chairperson Rabiya Javeri Agha. “At its core, this crisis reflects broader patterns of patriarchal control and the misuse of mental health frameworks to silence dissent.”

Speaking at the launch, Senator Sherry Rehman strongly condemned these practices, noting that private rehabilitation centers sprawling across major cities have effectively been weaponized to lock up and coerce adult female citizens. Rehman emphasized that using fear, social stigma, or forced confinement against women is a criminal violation of the state constitution, which guarantees equal rights.

International Call for Immediate Corrective Action

The findings also reveal massive discrepancies between the premium care services advertised by these private entities and the actual squalid, high-risk conditions documented during field inspections. This lack of compliance threatens Pakistan's broader international standing regarding humanitarian treaties.

Jeroen Willems, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Pakistan, reminded stakeholders that human rights protections remain a foundational cornerstone of EU-Pakistan bilateral relations. He noted that compliance with 27 international conventions on human, labor, and environmental rights is a strict prerequisite for Pakistan to maintain its lucrative GSP+ status, which grants duty-free access to the European market.

To rectify these extensive operational and moral failures, the NCHR, EU, and UNDP joint report formally recommends the following corrective measures:

• The immediate drafting of an updated federal mental health law establishing clear national standards for patient rights.

• The creation of highly rigorous, independent inspection and accountability mechanisms for all care facilities.

• The implementation of mandatory, gender-responsive care standards.

• The integration of accessible, unmonitored complaint systems and legal redress mechanisms for all admitted patients.