The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has released a report alleging that 924 suspected deaths occurred during operations conducted by Punjab’s Crime Control Department (CCD) between April and December 2025, raising serious concerns about extrajudicial killings.
The commission claims the CCD has followed a “deliberate policy of staged police encounters,” describing the unit as a “parallel police force” operating with near impunity. It links the surge in encounter-related deaths to a broader debate over rule of law and the state’s responsibility to safeguard the right to life.
Press release
HRCP report calls for high-level judicial inquiry into deaths resulting from CCD operations
Lahore, 17 February 2026. A fact-finding report released by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has concluded that the Crime Control Department (CCD) in Punjab… pic.twitter.com/f6bIDMCQnq
— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) February 17, 2026
The CCD was established under Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif as part of the provincial government’s “Safe Punjab” initiative. The specialized force was tasked with combating organized crime, inter-district gangs, and hardened offenders.
Citing media reports, HRCP said at least 670 CCD-led encounters took place across Punjab in eight months, resulting in 924 deaths, while only two police officials were killed.
The commission termed the pattern an “institutionalized practice” and warned of systematic legal and human rights violations.
