Express Tribune Editorials 18th August 2026

Custodial deaths

Police custody places an extraordinary responsibility on the state. Once liberty has been taken away, a detainee's safety becomes a direct responsibility of those holding them. Any death in custody therefore demands credible answers. Amina and Anmol were taken into custody at Lahore's Township police station on August 4 over allegations of theft. Within roughly two hours, both women were dead. Police initially attributed the deaths to cardiac arrest, but the final postmortem reports are still awaited. Meanwhile, a fact-finding report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has exposed contradictions in the official record that cannot be ignored.

Questions have emerged over when the women died, their ages and whether they were alive when taken to hospital. Their family claims that the bodies showed bruises and dried blood. Official records reportedly contain no mention of external injuries. Concerns have also been raised about the absence of female police officers during their detention and the delay in informing the family. Such contradictions are serious enough to undermine confidence in the existing inquiry. More troubling is the reported extent of police involvement in the postmortem, burial and subsequent access to the graves. An institution accused of wrongdoing should not be in a position to control the evidence needed to establish whether that wrongdoing occurred. HRCP has consequently recommended a judicial tribunal headed by a sitting Lahore High Court judge. Given the circumstances, the recommendation deserves serious consideration, but legality alone cannot restore confidence.

Custodial deaths should automatically trigger an independent investigation. CCTV footage must be secured immediately. Medical and custody records should be preserved outside the control of officers implicated in the incident. Families must be informed without delay. Evidence must be protected before an official narrative has an opportunity to harden. Most importantly, police officers must also be held individually accountable when investigations establish wrongdoing.

A new olive branch?

The PTI has long been on a seesaw of hope and despair. Recent reports of an offer of talks from the government signal a new prospect for a meaningful dialogue - one that could bail the party out of its miseries and provide a level-playing field. This potential, which hinges on the reported offer, must now see the light of day. The opposition, which has already hinted at a willingness to iron out differences in a proactive manner, should seize this opportunity. Moreover, the fact that PTI founder Imran Khan has unconditionally authorised Mehmood Achakzai and Allama Nasir Abbas to enter into a tête-à-tête with all those who matter must now mature into a breakthrough. Arbitrary conditions and backtracking by either side, driven by their respective whims, have already taken a heavy toll on political stability. It is high time this changed for the collective good.

The ball, nonetheless, remains in the government's court. It must ensure that it is sincere in engaging an opposition that has been literally pushed to the wall. The signs of such a change could manifest as lawful relief from the judiciary, which has been left in limbo since coming under executive influence through rushed amendments to the Constitution. There are early signs of a thaw, as this week's cause list for the superior judiciary is occupied with cases pertaining to the incarcerated PTI chairman and his spouse. It remains to be seen, however, to what extent justice will be dispensed. Likewise, reports of backchannel contacts are a positive development, coupled with the optimism surrounding K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi rubbing shoulders with the powers-that-be and receiving prominent media coverage.

It is high time for both the government and the opposition to realise that the country cannot withstand this prevailing anxiety. With challenging external environments on both the eastern and western fronts, and global supply chains severely hampered, a united political front is urgently needed to pull the nation out of the abyss of uncertainty.

Endorsing violence

Under international humanitarian law, no healthcare facility or personnel, wounded or sick persons, and transport facilities such as ambulances and medical supply vans should be attacked or harmed during an armed conflict. Yet, reality tells a devastatingly different story. The WHO reports that despite these enshrined protections, more than 10,000 attacks on healthcare have been documented since 2018. Most damning of all, however, is the complete lack of accountability - not a single one of these cases has culminated in a just outcome for the victims.

While unfortunate, it is also unsurprising that a majority of these attacks were carried out in Palestine, Ukraine and Lebanon. Regions engaged in conflict often experience greater violence against their healthcare systems and patients, as such attacks are increasingly being seen as viable tactics in a war. A primary reason for this is a lack of accountability that plagues these cases, inadvertently encouraging such heinous acts.

In over 10,000 attacks across eight years, almost 5,700 people have lost their lives, and 8,500 people have sustained injuries. In any legal system of a functioning society, even a single wrongful death is brought to justice, let alone 5,700 deaths that never make it past documentation and towards accountability.

On top of the legal negligence, the consequences of such attacks are far-reaching and never confined within the boundaries of the region that's attacked. They directly affect the number of outpatient visits the very next day, with disruptions often lingering beyond a month.

In Sudan, more than a third of health facilities are now non-functional. In Gaza, every hospital has sustained damage. These statistics represent collapsing maternal care, disrupted vaccination drives and halted disease surveillance, among other compromised healthcare services. While attacks on healthcare are inherently abhorrent, the complete absence of legal consequences amounts to a silent endorsement by the international community.