Washington, Aug 13 — Leading US advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged Pakistani authorities to carry out a prompt, independent and transparent criminal probe into the deaths of a woman and a 17-year-old girl in police custody in Punjab province on August 5.
In its latest statement, HRW noted that the deaths of the sisters-in-law, identified as Anmol and Amina, highlight longstanding concerns regarding torture and other ill-treatment in police custody, especially of women, and the persistent failure by the Pakistani authorities to hold police personnel accountable for abuse despite the passage of a 2022 law to address the problem.
Patricia Gossman, Senior Asia Associate Director at HRW, stated, "The authorities in Lahore have obligations under Pakistani and international law to promptly and impartially investigate the deaths of a woman and girl in police custody. That investigation needs to be independent of the officers under scrutiny, and those responsible for any wrongdoing need to be appropriately prosecuted."
According to the statement, Lahore police said that they received a complaint from a local resident on August 4, alleging that the woman had entered his house and taken gold ornaments and cash. Other reports indicate that residents apprehended the two sisters-in-law, identified as Anmol and Amina, and handed them over to the police.
The police said that they registered a First Information Report (FIR) and that one sister-in-law was taken to the Lytton Road police station and the other to the Township police station. The police claimed that the health of the woman and girl deteriorated within hours of their transfers. Anmol, the woman, died at the police station, and Amina died after being moved to a hospital.
The autopsies were delayed by nearly two days as the police had not completed the necessary formalities, according to the statement. Some officials said that the delay was caused due to difficulties in verifying the women's identity documents.
"Unnecessary delays in examining a body after a death in custody, particularly if attributed in part to the same department whose officers are implicated, indicate a failure of the duty to investigate," HRW stated.
The autopsy reports indicated that both died after cardiac arrest, without giving an actual cause of death. The examiners have said they have sent medical evidence to a forensic laboratory for analysis.
The families dispute the statement issued by police, saying that after police told them about the arrests and when they went to the Township police station, they were informed that the woman and girl had been sent to jail and that they should arrange for bail. On August 6, the authorities handed over the bodies to their families.
The families of the deceased woman and girl have said that both bodies had torn clothes and marks of torture, and that the police offered them money to remain silent. The police has denied these allegations and have said that initial inquiry reports suggested that the woman and girl were chronic drug users who may have overdosed, according to the statement.
Human Rights Watch said that it has documented beatings, sexual violence, sleep deprivation, and other forms of physical and psychological abuse in police custody in Pakistan. Women and girls in custody frequently face mistreatment and abuse, including sexual assault, rape, and pressure to engage in sex in exchange for food or favours.
"Official data indicate that the 2022 law is poorly enforced and the problem remains widespread. In May, the Federal Investigation Agency told the Lahore High Court that as of April 30, it had registered 364 inquiries nationwide under the law but that only 52 had become formal criminal cases," the HRW said
"The 266 inquiries in Punjab province, of which Lahore is the capital, produced only 19 registered First Information Reports. The agency said limitations in resources and budget affected its ability to enforce the law. Implementation has also been slow: the rules required to put the 2022 legislation into operation were approved only in November 2025," the statement added.
The HRW urged Pakistani authorities to lodge a criminal case under the 2022 act and ensure that a probe is conducted by investigators independent of the Punjab police, with effective National Commission for Human Rights oversight. In addition, the Pakistani authorities should also strengthen safeguards in all detention facilities, particularly for women and children.