Human Rights Commission Law Updated in Pakistan: Govt Clarifies Authority Rules

By Muhammad MubashirPublished On 07 May 2026

Simple News Explanation

Pakistan’s National Assembly has passed amendments to the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) Act 2012. The government says these changes are meant to remove confusion in the law, improve coordination between departments, and make the human rights system more organized.

What Changed in the Law?

• “Division Concerned” Added in the Law

A new term called “Division concerned” has been officially added to the law. Earlier, many responsibilities were simply assigned to the “Federal Government,” which often created confusion about which ministry or department was actually responsible for taking action. Now, the law clearly identifies the relevant department for each matter. This change is expected to improve coordination and speed up decision-making in human rights cases.

• Chairperson Can Continue for 120 Days After Term Ends

The amendment allows the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission to continue working for up to 120 days after their term ends, or until a new chairperson is appointed. This change was introduced to prevent leadership gaps if the government delays a new appointment. Without this provision, the commission’s important work and ongoing human rights cases could temporarily stop or face delays.

• Defence Division Given Specific Responsibilities

In some sections of the law, the words “Federal Government” have been replaced with “Defence Division.” The government says this was needed because some human rights matters involve security institutions and defence-related issues. By clearly assigning responsibility to the Defence Division, authorities believe these matters can now be handled more efficiently and with clearer accountability.

• Law & Justice Division Gets More Authority

Some powers under the law have now been transferred to the Law and Justice Division. Since human rights matters are closely linked with legal procedures, courts, and constitutional issues, the government believes the Law Ministry is better suited to manage these responsibilities. This amendment is intended to improve legal coordination and make administrative work smoother.

• Deputation Rules Clarified

The amendment also explains that deputation rules for government employees working with the commission will follow the official Establishment Division policy. Earlier, unclear staffing rules could create confusion and inconsistent procedures. The government says this step will create a more transparent and standardized system for appointments and staff transfers.

• Reference to FATA Removed

The term “Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)” has been removed from the law. This update was necessary because FATA was merged into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018, making the older wording outdated. The amendment updates the law according to Pakistan’s current constitutional structure.