Islamabad — The General Secretary of the PPP Human Rights Cell (HRC), Malaika Raza, today expressed grave concern over a report shared with the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights (PCCR) detailing the country’s child rights situation. She emphasised that the figures are alarming, with particularly stark indicators in Punjab.

The report, prepared for delivery to the PCCR by a non-governmental organisation focusing on child protection, presents a troubling picture of child abuse, exploitation, and conviction gaps across Pakistan. Since 2019, there have been at least 5,398 reported cases of child sexual abuse, marking a 220 percent rise over five years. The 2024 provincial breakdown of reported cases shows Punjab with 6,083 cases, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 1,102, Sindh with 354, Islamabad with 138, and Balochistan with 69.

Within 2024, the categories with the highest reported cases included sexual abuse (3,002), kidnapping (2,505), child labour (895), physical abuse (697), child trafficking (588), and child marriage (59). Early 2025 data for Punjab (January–June) indicate 4,150 cases, more than half of its total 2024 caseload within the first six months of 2025, signaling an ongoing and accelerating trend. The briefing also highlights troubling patterns in conviction rates, with several categories showing very low or zero conviction rates in the available data.

Malaika Raza underscored the urgent need for action across prevention, legal reform, data transparency, multisectoral collaboration, and resource allocation. “We must accelerate community awareness campaigns, school-based safety programs, and safeguarding training for parents, caregivers, and local institutions. Addressing gaps in legislation and enforcement is essential to improve accountability, reduce delays, and increase conviction rates for child abuse, trafficking, and related crimes,” she stated.

The general Secretary calls for strengthening prevention and protection efforts, identifying and closing gaps in the legal and prosecutorial framework, improving data quality and transparency while safeguarding minors’ privacy, and enhancing coordination among government agencies, civil society, law enforcement, judiciary, and child protection services. Adequate funding for prevention, investigation, prosecution, and survivor rehabilitation is also urged.

The NGO briefing was prepared for delivery to the PCCR to inform policy discussions and drive evidence-based recommendations. Figures cited reflect reported cases from 2019 through mid-2025, acknowledging that many cases may go unreported.

Note: Figures referenced in this release come from the NGO briefing provided to the PCCR and reflect reported cases as documented in the briefing materials.