ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) -In the first six months of 2026, Pakistan recorded 1,914 cases of child abuse, according to data compiled by Sahil, a non-governmental organization dedicated to child rights and protection. The figure includes 49 tragic instances of newborn infants found abandoned along public roadsides.
The comprehensive breakdown reveals that sexual abuse formed the primary bulk of reported incidents, with 1,015 cases. The organization also logged 558 abductions, 101 reports of missing children, 35 cases of early or forced child marriages, and 98 instances where explicit photographic material was produced following sexual exploitation. Data for the study was gathered across print media outlets nationwide, spanning all four provinces, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).
The statistics show a clear gender disparity, with girls accounting for 58% of all recorded victims. Early adolescence proved to be the most vulnerable period: children aged 11 to 15 comprised 598 cases, followed by 356 victims between the ages of 16 and 18. A total of 329 cases involved children in the 6-to-10 age group, while 95 victims were infants or toddlers under five years old. In 487 cases, the specific age was not recorded in media reports.
Contrary to common assumptions about stranger danger, 43% of the perpetrators were identified as acquaintances or individuals known to the victim or family. Strangers were responsible for 34% of cases. The report further notes that 45% of incidents occurred inside the child’s own home, while 18% took place at the offender’s residence, underscoring the serious safety challenges children face within familiar surroundings.
Geographically, urban areas accounted for 57% of reported cases compared to 43% in rural regions. Punjab, the country’s most populous province, recorded 80% of all reported cases, while Sindh made up 15%. The remaining region combined represented 5% of the total.
Law enforcement involvement remained high overall, with 89% of cases registered with the police. However, official registration status was omitted in the remaining portion, seven cases went completely unregistered, and police reportedly refused to register a case in one instance.
