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Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Rising child crime rate, convictions lack
Listen to article A total of 68 cases of child abduction and 48 cases of sexual abuse were reported in the federal capital, among eight documented categories of crimes against children, including trafficking, child marriage, child labour, physical abuse, murder, and child pornography, based on the data from Islamabad Police under the Right to Information law. According to the latest report by the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO), Islamabad recorded the highest number of reported crimes against children in the categories of abduction and sexual abuse, yet the conviction rate remained negligible in 2024. Despite case challans being submitted, most cases remain under investigation or trial, with very few resulting in convictions. SSDO Executive Director Syed Kausar Abbas said data on crimes against children should be regularly made public by police and courts under the Right of Access to Information Act 2017, to strengthen transparency and accountability. The data further shows 14 cases of physical abuse, six of child marriage, and two each of child trafficking, murder, and child pornography. The report also notes that several cases were withdrawn, reflecting serious gaps in investigation quality, evidence collection, and the protection of victims and witnesses. Abbas said that the low conviction rate highlights deep-rooted flaws in the justice system. He warned that crimes against children will persist unabated unless urgent reforms are implemented in investigation, prosecution, and victim support mechanisms. He recommended the establishment of specialised investigative units, fast-track courts, and robust victim and witness protection programmes to ensure swift and effective justice.
Express Tribune
23-04-2025
- Express Tribune
Punjab sees alarming rise in GBV
A recent report by the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) has exposed a disturbing surge in violence against women across Punjab in 2024 —and an alarming failure of the justice system to deliver accountability regarding gender-based violence (GBV). Lahore led the province with 532 reported rape cases last year, followed by Faisalabad (340) and Kasur (271). Yet convictions were vanishingly rare: just two in Lahore and six in Kasur, with no convictions in any other district. When adjusted for population, Kasur (25.5 per 100,000) and Pakpattan (25 per 100,000) emerged as the most dangerous for women. Honor killings also spiked in 2024: Faisalabad recorded 31 cases, Rajanpur and Sargodha 15 eachand not a single perpetrator was convicted. Per capita rates were highest in Rajanpur (2.9) and Khushab (2.5), underscoring the deadly grip of harmful cultural norms in rural areas. Kidnappings were the most frequently reported crime. Lahore alone logged 4,510 cases, yet secured only five convictions. Faisalabad (1,610), Kasur (1,230), Sheikhupura (1,111), and Multan (970) followed, all with zero convictions. Per capita, Lahore topped the list at 128.2 per 100,000, followed by Kasur (115.8) and Sheikhupura (103.6). Domestic violence cases reached 561 in Gujranwalathe highest in the provincefollowed by Sahiwal (68) and Lahore (56), again with no convictions. Gujranwala's per capita rate of 34.8 far exceeded that of Chiniot (11), revealing the growing scope of domestic abuse in both urban and rural settings. Compiled from Right to Information (RTI) requests, the SSDO report analyzes district level data on rape, honor killings, kidnappings, and domestic violence. SSDO Executive Director Syed Kausar Abbas praised improved police reporting.
Express Tribune
13-04-2025
- Express Tribune
Adopted children face uncertain futures
Till date, Pakistan has not been able to devise formal legislation on the practice of child adoption, despite the fact that a significant number of married couples are given temporary custody of abandoned children each year. As a result, no effective monitoring system exists to prevent the mistreatment of adopted children, who are orphaned twice in the face of unreported exploitation, abuse and neglect that silently occurs behind closed doors. According to Syed Kausar Abbas, Head of the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO), there is a need to devise legislation over the monitoring of children given under temporary custody. "The authority granting temporary custody should form a committee that can go to the homes of the adoptive families and personally assess the condition of these children, who are at risk of exploitation. It is possible for a family to adopt one child from Punjab and another from Sindh due to the unavailability of digital data on the temporary custody of children. This exposes adopted children to the risk of child trafficking," warned Abbas. Abbas' concerns are not unfounded given the province's grim record of violence against children. Figures from Sahil, an organisation focused on child abuse and exploitation, reveal that 1,630 cases of child abuse were reported nationwide in the first six months of 2024, 862 of which involved sexual abuse. Girls accounted for 59% of all reported cases, underscoring the gendered nature of the crisis. "In the absence of an effective monitoring system, there are concerns that adopted children, especially girls, can be coerced into human trafficking or other heinous activities on the dark web. There is no mechanism to check the condition of the adopted child, who could be exposed to all kinds of harm," claimed Rashida Qureshi, a gender expert and coordinator at the Children Advocacy Network Pakistan. In January 2023, an organ trafficking gang was uncovered in Rawalpindi after a 14-year-old boy hailing from Lahore was found with his kidney removed in an underground lab. Furthermore, as per statistics obtained from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), a 336 per cent rise was reported in cases of cyber child pornography during the past six years in Punjab, the country's largest province. Iftikhar Mubarak, Head of Search for Justice, revealed that although Section 28 of the Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children Act, 2004, played an important role in the care, protection and rehabilitation of destitute and neglected children, the monitoring system was still inefficient. "A case worker or social worker should be appointed to monitor every child who is adopted while the guardians should be required to present the child in court from time to time. This will allow judges to personally assess the child's condition, development and overall well-being. However, the process must be designed and implemented in such a way that the child does not suffer emotional distress while interacting with the legal system," implored Mubarak, who further added that an online platform could be established through which guardians or custodians can submit periodic reports on the child's well-being especially in the case that the child has been taken abroad. On the other hand, Sarah Ahmed, Chairperson of the Child Protection Bureau and Head of the Provincial Parliamentary Committee on Child Rights claimed that the Child Protection Court provided temporary custody of abandoned children. "The couple adopting the child is bound to appear with the child on the date fixed by the court. They are asked about the health and care of the child. If the child is able to tell themselves, then information is taken from them separately and a report is compiled and placed in the custody file of the child. Families of the children taken abroad are contacted through video calls and certificates related to their education and health are reviewed," claimed Ahmed. "Till date, no such case has come to light where a child given in temporary custody is not being taken care of and the custody has had to be revoked," claimed Ahmed who revealed that 230 abandoned children were adopted by childless couples in the last five years, out of which 50 children were adopted by Pakistani families living abroad," she added.
Express Tribune
01-03-2025
- Express Tribune
Pakistan sees 32,617 gender-based violence cases in 2024: SSDO
Listen to article The Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) has released its latest report, "Mapping Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Pakistan 2024," providing a province-wise analysis of rape, honour killings, kidnapping/abduction, and domestic violence across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan, and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). The report highlights the alarming scale of GBV cases and the extremely low conviction rates, emphasizing the need for urgent reforms in law enforcement and the judicial system. According to the report, a total of 32,617 GBV cases were reported nationwide in 2024. These include 5,339 incidents of rape, 24,439 incidents of kidnapping/abduction, 2,238 incidents of domestic violence, and 547 cases of honor killings. Despite these figures, conviction rates remain critically low across all provinces. The national conviction rate for rape stands at just 0.5%, while honor killings also see only 0.5% convictions. Kidnapping and abduction cases have an even lower conviction rate of 0.1%, while domestic violence cases result in convictions just 1.3% of the time. Punjab recorded the highest number of GBV cases, with a total of 26,753. The province reported 225 honor killing cases, but only two convictions. In cases of rape, Punjab had 4,641 reported incidents, yet the conviction rate stood at merely 0.4%. Kidnapping and abduction cases were alarmingly high at 20,720, with only 16 convictions. Domestic violence cases totaled 1,167, with just three convictions. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 3,397 GBV cases were recorded. Honor killings accounted for 134 cases, with two convictions. The province reported 258 rape cases, with just one conviction. Kidnapping and abduction cases stood at 943, with only one conviction. Domestic violence cases in KP totaled 446, but no convictions were recorded. Sindh registered 1,781 GBV cases. Honor killings accounted for 134 cases, but none resulted in convictions. The province recorded 243 rape cases, again with no convictions. Kidnapping and abduction cases were reported at 2,645, yet no convictions were made. Domestic violence cases stood at 375, with no justice served in terms of convictions. Balochistan had a total of 398 GBV cases. The province recorded 32 cases of honor killings, with just one conviction. Rape cases were reported at 21, with zero convictions. Kidnapping and abduction cases stood at 185, yet no convictions were recorded. Domestic violence cases were reported at 160, with 25 convictions—the highest among all provinces for this category. Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) reported 220 GBV cases. Honor killings accounted for 22 cases, with no convictions. The capital recorded 176 rape cases, with only seven convictions. Data on kidnapping and abduction cases was not provided by the prosecution department. Domestic violence cases stood at 22, with no convictions recorded. Syed Kausar Abbas, executive director of SSDO, stated that the report, based on data obtained from provincial police departments through Right of Access to Information (RTI) laws, provides an analysis of GBV cases reported in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan during 2024. He stressed the urgent need for meaningful reforms to protect survivors and ensure perpetrators are held accountable. Emphasizing that every survivor deserves justice, he called for improvements in police investigations, legal procedures, and trial efficiency to prevent lengthy delays that hinder justice. He urged government institutions, civil society, and legal bodies to work together to create a system where survivors feel safe, supported, and empowered to seek justice. Shahid Jatoi, Director Programs at SSDO, highlighted that the report's findings reveal deep-rooted issues in Pakistan's criminal justice system. The abysmally low conviction rates, such as 0.5% for rape and honor killings nationwide, reflect weak investigations, inadequate evidence collection, societal stigma, and a lack of judicial accountability. He pointed out that the justice system is failing to address the scale of gender-based violence, leaving survivors vulnerable and perpetrators largely unpunished. Limited access to legal aid, prolonged trial durations, and cultural pressures that discourage reporting or pursuing cases further exacerbate the crisis. Urgent and comprehensive reforms are needed to align Pakistan's criminal justice system with the severity of these offenses.
