August 6, 2026
By Iqra Manzoor
LAHORE
Nearly 1,914 cases of child abuse were reported across Pakistan between January and June 2026, according to the latest Six Months Cruel Numbers report released by Sahil, a non-profit organisation working on child protection since 1996.
The report is based on data collected from 81 English, Urdu and regional newspapers across all four provinces, as well as Islamabad Capital Territory, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit Baltistan. It tracks cases of child sexual abuse, abduction, missing children and early marriages reported in the press during the first six months of the year.
The number marks a slight decline from the 1,956 cases recorded during the same period last year.
“On average, close to 11 children were reported as victims of abuse across Pakistan every single day during the first six months of 2026.”
Of the total cases, 1,015 involved child sexual abuse, while 558 were cases of abduction. Another 101 cases involved children reported missing, and 35 involved child marriages. The report also recorded 98 cases of pornography linked to sexual abuse, and noted that 49 of the reported cases involved infants found abandoned by the roadside.
Girls more affected, but boys make up a significant share
Girls accounted for 58% of the victims and boys for 42%. In cases specifically involving pornography following sexual abuse, however, the pattern was reversed: boys made up 59% of victims compared to 41% girls.
Children aged 11 to 15 most at risk
The 11-15 age group was the most vulnerable, accounting for 598 of the reported cases, or roughly 31% of the total. This was followed by children aged 16-18 (356 cases) and those aged 6-10 (329 cases). Ninety-five cases involved children aged five or under. In 487 cases, the victim’s age was not mentioned in the reporting.
Abduction tops the list of crime categories
Broken down by crime category, abduction was the most commonly reported offence, making up 29% of all cases, followed by rape and sodomy combined at 28%. Missing children accounted for a further 7% of cases. The report also recorded smaller numbers of cases involving a combination of offences, such as abduction with rape, gang rape, incest, and child marriage, among others.
Most abusers known to the victim
The data shows that in 43% of cases, the abuser was someone known to the child or their family, while strangers were involved in 34% of cases. In the remaining 13%, the abuser’s identity or relationship to the victim was not specified in media reports.
“Taken together, categories such as acquaintances, relatives, fathers, uncles, religious teachers and neighbours far outnumber strangers, underlining that most abusers are people already inside a child’s circle of trust.”
Nearly half of all cases, 45%, took place at the victim’s own home, and 18% occurred at the abuser’s residence. Only 3% happened in open fields, while the location was not specified in 21% of cases.
Punjab accounts for majority of cases
Geographically, Punjab accounted for 80% of all reported cases, followed by Sindh at 15%. The remaining 5% were spread across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, the federal capital, AJK and GB.
Out of a total of 89 districts covered in the report, ten stood out as the most vulnerable. Faisalabad recorded the highest number of cases at 337, followed by Multan (185), Lahore (121), Gujranwala (111), Kasur (110), Rahim Yar Khan (97), Rawalpindi (78), Vehari (70), Sialkot (64) and Toba Tek Singh (61).
The report also found that 57% of cases were reported from urban areas compared to 43% from rural areas.
Most cases registered with police
According to the report, 89% of the reported cases were formally registered with the police. In 11% of cases, the registration status was not mentioned in media reports, while seven cases remained unregistered. In one case, police reportedly refused to register a complaint.
Sahil has been working on child protection in Pakistan since 1996, with a focus on preventing child sexual abuse and providing legal support to survivors and their families. The organisation compiles its Cruel Numbers report twice a year using media monitoring as its primary data source, meaning the actual number of cases is likely higher than what is captured through newspaper reporting alone.