Child abuse remains endemic in Pakistan (Img: IANS)
Islamabad: Pakistan continues to grapple with widespread crimes against children amid long-overdue criminal justice reforms and a poor conviction rate. The state's denial and apathy have prevented meaningful action against the scourge of child abuse and its lifelong consequences, a report has stated. It cautioned that this inaction poses a “ticking time bomb” for young generations.
Citing the 2025 Cruel Numbers report from Sahil (an Islamabad-based organisation that monitors gender-based violence), Pakistani daily Dawn highlighted a grim picture of the dangers children face in Pakistan.
As per the findings, at least 2,003 child sexual abuse cases were registered across the country, with Punjab recording the highest number with 1,549 cases, followed by Sindh with 330, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 91, and 33 cases in other regions. Additionally, more than 4,200 children experienced sexual violence in 2024, while most cases go unreported.
“As a disturbing number of cases frequently appear in the media, a tragedy unfolds before us. Even so, child safety, despite censure from rulers and activists, helplines, and laws to protect children from all violence, remains in shambles. Crimes against children are endemic because reforms in the criminal justice system are overdue and the conviction rate is pitiful," an editorial in Dawn noted.
“While violence is a reality for a billion of the world’s innocent who endure physical, emotional, or sexual abuse annually, Pakistan is a paradox where there is a surfeit of laws to shield children,” it added.
Highlighting the scale of child abuse in Pakistan, the report said horrific incidents- from the 2015 child pornography scandal involving hundreds of boys and girls in Kasur to the rape and murder of young Zainab Ansari in 2018 and other similarly gruesome cases triggered the "Kasur Hamara Hai" movement and prompted a series of legislative measures.
However, despite repeated promises, it said, the authorities have failed to bring about any significant reassessment of priorities. "Yet a child’s innocence is still a disposable commodity. Laws and pledges may be momentary, but the toll of abuse, shame, and disregard is not. It imperils the stability and productivity of our youth. Exploitation also devastates mental and physical health and jeopardises children’s academic future. Corrective actions entail protection and psychosocial support for victims and their families with awareness and education.
Lastly, a callous police force and society silence survivors. The state must know this damage consumes generations,” the report stressed. Recently, a report in the European Times stated that the rising number of child abuse cases in Pakistan showcases not only a disturbing increase in violence but also an equally troubling shift in public response.
Each case in Pakistan highlights personal tragedy and failure of the system made to protect vulnerable people, a report has detailed. The cases of abuse or murder of children have been reported in Pakistan at an alarming frequency; however, they are briefly mentioned in the news and then recede into silence, the report noted.
IANS
