&ldquo;These Are Children, Not Criminals&rdquo;: HRCP Calls Out Pakistan&rsquo;s Trial of Minors Under Terror Laws
In a country where courtrooms are meant to uphold justice, a troubling scene has been unfolding behind closed doors. There are children, some of them barely in their teens, sitting trial under anti-terrorism charges.
For over a year now, minors in Pakistan have been prosecuted under terrorism laws, a move that has now drawn sharp criticism from the Human Rights Council of Pakistan (HRCP). In a strongly worded statement, the rights watchdog has demanded an immediate halt to these proceedings, calling them not just illegal, but a blatant violation of both constitutional rights and moral responsibility.
&ldquo;It is deeply troubling and incomprehensible that, despite clear evidence of being minors, these children are being tried under anti-terrorism laws,&rdquo; the HRCP said in a statement issued Wednesday.
According to the council, not only are these cases in violation of the Juvenile Justice System Act, 2018, they also undermine Pakistan&rsquo;s international commitments to child rights.
For families of the accused minors, it has been a year of uncertainty and fear. The HRCP has now put forth the questions many were too afraid to ask:
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Why are these trials still ongoing despite age verification?
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Has the court deliberately ignored proof of minority?
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Where is the oversight from the Ministry of Law and higher judiciary?
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&ldquo;These are not isolated incidents of legal oversight,&rdquo; the council warned, &ldquo;this is systemic injustice being committed against children.&rdquo;
The HRCP&rsquo;s statement isn&rsquo;t just a call for legal compliance,&nbsp; it&rsquo;s a plea for humanity. They demand the immediate transfer of all such cases to juvenile courts, as per the law, and also call for psychological support and proper legal representation for the affected children.
&ldquo;A nation that fails to protect its children is writing its own tragedy. Stop treating children like terrorists, immediately", the statement reads.
The council's powerful message underscores an urgent truth,&nbsp; justice for minors isn't optional, it is a moral and legal obligation.
As the spotlight now turns to Pakistan&rsquo;s judiciary and government, the world watches to see whether justice will be served, not in the form of punishment, but in the form of&nbsp;protection for its most vulnerable citizens.

HRCP Slams Pakistan's Trial of Minors in ATC

Pakistan’s top rights body questions legality of trying children under terror laws

HRCP Slams Pakistan's Trial of Minors in ATC

Pakistan’s top rights body questions legality of trying children under terror laws

July 30, 2025 | 18:52 IST