were doctored by non-state actors to levy particularly for wealthy perpetrators and blasphemy allegations against the organizers those with political connections. and participants. This resulted in threatening The lack of accountability was exemplified letters being sent to Aurat March from armed by the shortening of the prison sentence for groups. In August, Aurat March’s chapter in Shah Hussain from five years to three years the city of Faisalabad was barred by the and six months. He had been imprisoned for authorities from holding a protest calling for stabbing Khadija Siddiqui in the neck 23 justice for the murder of Noor Mukkadam times in 2016 after she rejected his (see below), citing Covid-19 restrictions. advances. EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE In February, a transgender woman, Paras, began receiving threatening messages from a Law enforcement agencies cracked down on man she had rejected, and later from his demonstrations by the Pashtun Tahaffuz friends as videos of her began to be shared Movement, which campaigns against the widely. The man forced her to record a video racial profiling, discrimination and of herself asking for his forgiveness at his extrajudicial executions of Pashtuns. In April, feet. The Human Rights Commission of scores of protesters were injured and at least Pakistan drew attention to her case, one killed in the town of Janikhel. prompting the accused to be arrested for In August, police used excessive force criminal intimidation. He was released on against health workers and students bail; no trial had been scheduled by the end protesting a new qualification exam in of the year. Lahore. At least 20 of the participants were In April, parliament passed the Domestic injured. During the protests, an unidentified Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill spray was deployed by the police, which 2021. However, in July, an adviser to the acted as a skin irritant and caused respiratory Prime Minister, Babar Awan, asked for the and vision difficulties. bill to be reviewed by the Council of Islamic SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE Ideology – an advisory body – to allay the concerns of conservative parties about the A series of cases of sexual and gender-based law being misaligned with Pakistan’s “social violence were reported, underscoring the lack values”. The government denied any official of protection for women and igniting renewed request had been made, and any feedback calls for redress, accountability and reform. provided by the Council was not made In June, months after the assault took place, public. The draft legislation was referred back a video surfaced of business owner Usman to parliament, after the review of the Senate Mirza harassing a woman and her partner, Standing Committee on Human Rights, threatening her with gang rape if she did not where it remained pending. have intercourse in front of him. He was arrested and charged, along with his six ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES accomplices. Thirteen families seeking information on their In July, Quratul Ain was murdered by her loved ones’ whereabouts were met by the husband in front of her four children in the Minister of Human Rights in April, followed city of Hyderabad. A week later, Zahir Jaffer by a meeting with Prime Minister Khan, who was arrested for the murder of Noor publicly assured them that information would Mukkadam, whom he had held hostage at be provided. In July, the Prime Minister also his home for more than 36 hours. Forensic met with Amina Masood Janjua, a long-time investigations found that he had tortured, campaigner against enforced raped and shot Noor Mukkadam before disappearances. Days later, two formerly beheading her. Countrywide protests called disappeared men were freed, including for accountability, which remained elusive Hasan Qambrani whose release came one Amnesty International Report 2021/22 288