Pakistan's government has repeatedly deployed methods far exceeding the bounds of lawful crowd control — assaulting, arresting, and in documented cases killing protesters — according to a report by Maldivian media outlet Etruth MV, which cited findings by Amnesty International. The installation of large metal spikes on a bridge to halt a march by opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has emerged as a particularly stark symbol of the state's approach to political dissent.

The Spike Barrier and PTI Crackdown

'Holding a protest is a democratic right, and people are allowed by the government of the day to express their anger and demands. However, it is not the case in Pakistan,' the Etruth MV report stated. The spike-fitted barriers, placed on a bridge ahead of PTI's march to Islamabad, left observers alarmed. The march itself was organised against alleged electoral manipulation, the erosion of judicial independence, and to demand the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

According to Karachi-based activist Uneza Kokab, quoted in the report, authorities went further: 'Blocking the entire Islamabad by placing containers studded with nails, digging trenches across major routes, damaging the property of PTI workers, and abducting innocent children and their mothers — all out of political grudge.' Beyond barricades, authorities reportedly deployed metal containers, dug trenches across major routes, and allegedly detained relatives of party workers.

Amnesty International's Concerns

Amnesty International has raised formal concerns over what it describes as the Pakistani government 'weaponising' laws and employing 'deeply degrading tactics' to suppress dissent. The rights body characterised the approach as part of a sustained pattern by the country's 'hybrid civil-military regime.' The Etruth MV report noted that such tactics, if applied elsewhere, 'would send shockwaves of horror through the civilised world.'

Violence in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir

The report also documented alleged repression in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), where protesters had been demanding basic rights including relief from inflation and an end to privileges enjoyed by political elites. According to the report, Pakistani authorities attempted to suppress demonstrations by disrupting food supplies. More than 50 civilians were reportedly killed by Pakistani security forces during a crackdown, while thousands were said to have been arrested, kidnapped, and tortured in the territory. Zahid Amin, a local resident quoted in the report, said: 'The real terrorist is the government, which tries to suppress this peaceful voice through coercion and force.'

Balochistan: The Worst-Affected Region

The report described Balochistan as perhaps the most severely affected region in Pakistan in terms of state violence against protesters. In 2024, personnel from Pakistan's Frontier Corps reportedly opened fire on Baloch people travelling to participate in a protest, killing three and injuring 14 others. Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, said: 'Every time Baloch protests take place, their demands are met with violence by security forces and mass arrests. We see it now again with the Baloch Raji Machi protests in what is clearly a punitive attempt by the Pakistani authorities to deter, vilify, and criminalise peaceful protesters.'

A Widening Pattern Under Scrutiny

Taken together, the incidents documented across PTI demonstrations, PoK, and Balochistan point to a systemic pattern rather than isolated excesses. International rights organisations and regional media are increasingly drawing attention to these practices, adding external pressure on Islamabad at a time when Pakistan's political and economic stability is already under strain. How the government responds to mounting international scrutiny is likely to shape its diplomatic standing in the months ahead.