A total of 1,914 incidents of child abuse were recorded across Pakistan in the first six months of 2026, according to a report released by child protection non-governmental organisation Sahil. The figures, drawn from newspaper data across multiple provinces, point to a deeply entrenched crisis — with 58 per cent of victims being girls.

Breakdown of Reported Cases

Of the 1,914 total cases reported between January and June 2026, 1,015 involved child sexual abuse — the largest single category. This was followed by 558 kidnapping cases, 101 cases of missing children, 98 cases of pornography linked to sexual abuse, and 35 cases of child marriages. Additionally, 49 infants were found abandoned on roads during this period.

Who the Victims Are

The age data reveals that children between 11 and 15 years were the most affected group, accounting for 598 victims. Children aged 16 to 18 years made up 356 cases, while 329 victims fell in the 6 to 10 year age bracket. The youngest group — children aged zero to five years — accounted for 95 cases. The age of victims was not recorded in 487 cases.

Where Abuse Is Happening and Who Is Responsible

Geographically, 57 per cent of cases were reported from urban areas, with the remaining 43 per cent from rural regions. The data was compiled from newspapers in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh, as well as Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan.

Perpetrators were known to the victims in 43 per cent of cases — a figure that underscores the domestic and community-level dimensions of child abuse in Pakistan. Strangers were responsible in 34 per cent of cases.

A Case That Shocked the Country

The report comes amid continued individual cases drawing public outrage. In June 2026, a three-year-old girl was found dead inside a sack near her home in the Quaidabad area of Malir district in Karachi, after reportedly being sexually assaulted. The child, identified only as 'K', had gone missing while playing outside her house. Her father said the family searched the neighbourhood before discovering her body in a sack on a nearby street.

Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya confirmed the child had been sexually assaulted, and said the precise cause of death would be established pending a chemical examination report, according to Pakistani daily The Express Tribune. Police sources indicated the assault and killing likely occurred close to the victim's home.

The Broader Pattern

Sahil's half-yearly report is among the most cited child protection datasets in Pakistan, though experts note that newspaper-based data collection likely undercounts actual incidence — particularly in rural areas where cases go unreported. The urban-heavy skew in this report may reflect reporting infrastructure rather than a true geographic distribution of abuse. With the second half of 2026 still to be accounted for, the full-year figure could surpass previous annual totals, raising urgent questions about enforcement, survivor support, and legislative gaps in Pakistan's child protection framework.