August 18, 2025
By Iqra Manzoor
LAHORE
An 11 year old girl was raped in Bahawalpur’s BC/24 area, prompting the registration of a case under Section 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The rape survivor, who was initially reported to be in critical condition, is now recovering in the hospital, according to her father. The FIR named one Ali Hamza, a resident of the neighboring village BC/23, as the accused in the case.
Details
The incident took place on Sunday, August 17 and was reported to the police by the rape survivor’s father, who also serves as the complainant in the case. An FIR was lodged at the local police station the same day, under Section 376 (iii) of the PPC at the Baghdad al-Jadeed Police Station.
The complainant stated in the FIR, that his 11 year old aughter, had gone to a local seminary but did not return home by 5 PM. Worried for her safety, he, along with two others, set out to search for her.
‘We heard my daughter screaming from some fields nearby’, he stated in the FIR. When we rushed there, we saw the accused, Ali Hamza, a resident of BC/23, assaulting my daughter. As soon as the accused saw us coming, he fled the scene, leaving his shoes behind,” the father narrated in the FIR.
Statements from police and family
Police confirmed that the case has been registered and an investigation is underway. Amir Nazeer, PRO Bahawalpur Police, told Voicepk.
“The accused is unknown, but belongs to the same village,” he said. “He fled the scene, after the crime, but our investigation is ongoing and we are confident he will be arrested within a day or two,”
He added that the child had already been provided with appropriate medical care. “She was shifted to the hospital and is under observation, but she is not critical,” Nazeer said.
However, in a conversation with Voicepk, the girl’s father gave a different account.
“My daughter was in critical condition after the crime, even though she is doing better now,” he said. “The accused is a resident of a nearby village, but we do not know him. He was caught at the scene of crime and detained by the police, who are cooperating with us.”
However the police have yet to confirm the arrest of the suspect.
When asked about the case, District Police Officer (DPO) Bahawalpur, Hassan Iqbal, said, “Codal and legal formalities are underway. We have to ensure the case is dealt with on complete merits and justice.”
Child sexual abuse: A deep-rooted crisis
The Bahawalpur case highlights the larger crisis of sexual violence against children in Pakistan.
According to the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO), 32,617 gender-based violence (GBV) cases were reported nationwide in 2024. These included 5,339 cases of rape and 24,439 abductions. Punjab accounted for the highest number of GBV cases (26,753). Conviction rates, however, remain critically low, only 0.5% of rape cases resulted in convictions at the national level, while Punjab reported a conviction rate of just 0.4%.
A separate study by Sahil, titled Cruel Numbers 2024, documented 3,364 cases of child abuse reported in newspapers nationwide, averaging nine children abused every day. Girls constituted 53% of victims and boys 47%. The most vulnerable group was between 11 and 15 years old, though children under five were also among the victims.
Most cases (87%) occurred in closed spaces such as the abuser’s or victim’s home. In 2% of cases, educational institutions were the site of abuse. Punjab accounted for 78% of all reported cases, followed by Sindh (12%).
Sahil’s report also revealed that the majority of abusers were known to the victims, acquaintances, relatives, or even teachers. While 93% of cases were registered with police, rights groups warn that reporting alone does not guarantee justice.