Islamabad, Jan 24 (NationPress) The recent gang rape of a minor girl by police officers while in custody in Jacobabad district, located in Pakistan’s Sindh province, underscores a critical failure in procedural integrity that necessitates significant institutional accountability. While the arrest of six policemen is being portrayed as a sign of justice within the system, limiting accountability to lower-ranking officers does not equate to true justice, as emphasized in a report published on Saturday.

“Allegations suggest that female detainees, including minors, were unlawfully held in a private location alongside male officers. This alone constitutes a violation of legal protocols. The horror of sexual assault is compounded by the state’s failure to uphold its legal responsibilities. Custody should be a means to limit police authority, not to enhance it. Equally troubling is the potential use of detention as a means of coercion. Holding women and children to manipulate male relatives in unrelated criminal matters is a form of intimidation that is unacceptable in any lawful system,” the report highlighted in the renowned Pakistani newspaper, The Express Tribune.

“Such practices continue not due to their legality, but because they seldom result in consequences. In numerous regions of the country, seeking justice from the police—especially in incidents involving their own personnel—poses extraordinary risks. Without independent mechanisms for complaints and witness protection, legal remedies remain largely theoretical,” it elaborated.

According to the report, the lack of female police officers and operational women’s protection cells signifies administrative negligence, as the systems designed to prevent custodial abuse throughout Pakistan remain largely unimplemented.

“This case must shift the focus from individual culpability to institutional accountability. Who sanctioned the detention? Who oversaw it? Who neglected to act? And who is now determining the extent of accountability? Discussions around police reform in Pakistan often center on resources and training. However, no amount of funding can compensate for the absence of consequences. What is necessary are mandatory audits of custodial practices and an unwavering stance against procedural breaches, especially concerning women and minors,” it stated.

In December of the previous year, Sahil, an organization based in Islamabad that monitors gender-based violence, reported a substantial increase in crimes against women during the first 11 months of 2025 in Pakistan.

The report compiled data from 81 national newspapers across all four provinces, the Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB). It revealed that 6,543 incidents were documented in Pakistan in 2025, compared to 5,253 cases in 2024, illustrating a growth of nearly 25 percent within a year, according to The Express Tribune.

The reported incidents from January to November 2025 encompass 1,414 murders, 1,144 abductions, 1,060 physical assaults, 649 suicides, and 585 rapes.