discrimination. Further, it is essential for government departments to be trained to deal with incidents of hate speech and how to curb them at an earlier stage. Undertake effective action to curb both online and offline hate speech across Pakistan. The NCHR advises the Government of Pakistan to curb the growing menace of hate speech in Pakistan. This includes reviewing and amending existing legislation to ensure it is robust and effective in controlling hate speech. Current legislation, such as the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), has been often misused to curb dissent rather than genuinely addressing hate speech and fake news. The government should review and amend existing laws to ensure they specifically target hate speech without infringing on free speech and press freedoms. This involves defining hate speech more clearly and ensuring that laws are not overly broad or vague. Furthermore, strengthening existing reporting mechanisms at both local and national levels is essential to increase an individuals' access to reporting agencies such as the Federal Investigation Agency, thereby enabling them to report instances of hate speech more easily. The government should be at the forefront of advocating against online hate speech by drawing on frameworks including the Rabat Plan of Action and various UN Charters. The Rabat Plan of Action offers pragmatic recommendations to states in order to develop an environment promoting freedom of expression in instances of hate speech. The plan defines six thresholds establishing hate speech that need to be addressed and prohibited: context, speaker, intent, content and form, extent of the speech act and likelihood of harm. These guidelines can prove to be effective when designing balanced legislative measures to address online hate speech without violating freedom of speech and expression. Among UN Charters, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) highlight the need to protect human rights such as freedom of expression and safeguarding against discriminatory practices. Articles 19 and 20 of the ICCPR are pertinent as they contain frameworks that offer ways to strike a balance between freedom of expression and the need to curb hate speech and actions that incite violence. It is imperative that Pakistan’s laws and policies align with these international laws and standards to ensure effective implementation measures against online hate speech Additionally, societal attitudes towards hate speech need to change, which requires effective awareness-raising campaigns. These campaigns should focus on educating the public about the dangers of hate speech and promoting a culture of tolerance and respect. Through legislative, institutional, and societal changes, the protection of minority rights and rights of vulnerable and indigenous groups can be attained in Pakistan. While some 20