Pakistan child abuse cases cross 1,900 in six months

Pakistan recorded 1,914 reported cases of child abuse in the first six months of the year, according to a new report by child protection NGO Sahil. The findings, based on newspaper reporting from across the country, highlight a troubling pattern of violence, exploitation and neglect affecting children in provinces, Islamabad Capital Territory, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The report shows that child sexual abuse remained the largest category, with 1,015 cases reported between January and June 2026. It also documented 558 abduction cases, 101 missing children cases, 35 child marriages and 98 cases of pornography linked to sexual abuse. Sahil said 49 infants were found abandoned by roadsides during the period.

Girls and older children formed the most affected groups

According to the data, girls accounted for 58 percent of reported victims. Children aged 11 to 15 were the most vulnerable age group, with 598 victims in that bracket. Another 356 victims were aged 16 to 18, while 329 were between 6 and 10 years old. The report also counted 95 victims in the zero to five age group. In 487 cases, the age of the victim was not mentioned in the source material.

The report also points to the role of familiar people in many incidents. Sahil said acquaintances were involved in 43 percent of the reported cases, while strangers were identified in 34 percent. The findings underline a key risk factor in child abuse in Pakistan: abuse can happen in trusted or familiar settings, not only in public spaces.

Most incidents happened at home or nearby

Almost half of the reported cases, 45 percent, took place at the victims own residences. Another 18 percent occurred at the abusers houses. Smaller shares happened in open fields, while in 21 percent of cases the location was not specified. The report also found that 57 percent of the incidents were reported in urban areas and 43 percent in rural areas.

Sahil said 80 percent of the cases took place in the presence of people the children knew, although the feed summary does not provide the full breakdown for that finding. The broader picture in the report suggests that child abuse in Pakistan remains a widespread issue affecting children in homes, neighbourhoods and other everyday environments.

What the Sahil report means

The latest figures add to long-running concerns about child safety and protection systems in Pakistan. Because the report is compiled from newspaper coverage rather than direct law enforcement data, it reflects reported cases in the public record, not necessarily the full scale of abuse.

Even so, the numbers point to persistent dangers for children, particularly girls and those in the 11 to 15 age group. The report also shows that kidnapping, missing children cases and child marriage continue to appear alongside sexual abuse in the same period.

For families, educators and child protection groups, the findings reinforce the need for stronger safeguards, faster reporting mechanisms and more support for vulnerable children. Sahil’s data offers a snapshot of the scale and pattern of child abuse in Pakistan during the first half of the year.