ISLAMABAD: The Interior Ministry revealed on Tuesday that 200 of the 567 registered sexual abuse cases in Islamabad between 2021 and June 2025 involved children.
This information was shared in a written response to a question posed by Senator Shahdhat Awan during a Senate session.
According to the data, out of the 200 child sexual abuse cases, 93 victims were male and 108 were female. The ministry also reported that 222 individuals were arrested in connection with these cases. However, only 12 of the accused were convicted, with 163 still facing trials. Additionally, 15 individuals have been acquitted, and 26 remain at large.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s written statement outlined that, between January 2021 and June 2025, a total of 567 rape cases were reported in Islamabad, resulting in 625 arrests. Of these, 485 cases have been processed, leading to 80 convictions, 23 acquittals, and 406 cases still under trial. Naqvi also mentioned that 29 cases are currently under investigation and will be concluded soon.
The ministry also provided data on 266 cases of missing children in Islamabad between 2022 and 2025. Of these cases, 153 boys and 120 girls were reported missing. Law enforcement authorities arrested 135 individuals in these cases, two of whom were convicted. However, 21 of the accused were acquitted, and 103 individuals are still awaiting trial.
In a report published in May, civil society organization Sahil documented 3,364 cases of child abuse reported across Pakistan, including Islamabad Capital Territory, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan in 2024. This report, based on data from 81 national and regional newspapers, highlights the growing concern of child abuse nationwide.
Recent high-profile cases include the arrest of a man in Kasur district in July after footage of him allegedly molesting a minor girl went viral.
In another case in June, the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) exposed a child sexual exploitation network operating in Muzaffargarh, Punjab, leading to the arrest of two suspects and the rescue of 10 children.
One of the most significant cases in recent history was the tragic death of six-year-old Zainab Amin in January 2018, whose body was found after she went missing. The investigation revealed that she may have been raped before being murdered.
This case led to nationwide outrage and prompted the passage of the Zainab Alert, Response, and Recovery Bill, 2019, which aims to expedite investigations and provide faster justice for child abuse cases.
The ongoing data and cases underscore the urgent need for stricter measures and faster justice to protect children from sexual abuse and ensure accountability for perpetrators.
