'Conviction rate in child abuse cases below 1%'

RAWALPINDI:

The Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO), a civil society organisation, has launched its fact sheet on violence against children in Punjab for the first half of 2025, revealing that an average of 23 cases of violence against children were reported every day across the province.

The fact sheet is based on district-level police data obtained through the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013.

According to SSDO's analysis, 4,150 child-related criminal cases were registered in Punjab between January and June 2025. Of these 3,989 cases were challaned, while 3,791 remain under trial.

Punjab's reporting mechanisms have improved over the past year, resulting in increased registration of cases. SSDO noted that conviction rates remain critically low and require immediate attention.

Despite the volume and severity of offences, only 12 convictions were recorded during the six-month period .

Sexual abuse remains one of the most troubling categories with 717 cases registered, 658 challaned, and 581 still under trial. The category saw 12 acquittals and 8 withdrawals but zero convictions.

Child beggary was the most frequently reported offence, with 2,693 cases registered across the province. Of these, 2,674 were challaned and 2,669 remain under trial, yet none resulted in a conviction.

Other forms of exploitation also pose serious threats. Child trafficking registered 332 cases, resulting in 4 convictions, while 182 cases of child labour led to 8 convictions, the comparatively highest outcomes among categories, yet still alarmingly low relative to the number of offences.

Meanwhile, 87 cases of physical abuse and 27 kidnapping cases produced no convictions.

Child marriage continues to be severely underreported, with just 12 cases registered in the first six months of 2025 and no convictions or acquittals, pointing to entrenched cultural and procedural barriers that obstruct reporting.

District-level data identifies Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Sialkot as the major hotspots for child abuse, exploitation and trafficking. Lahore recorded the highest numbers of sexual abuse, child beggary and trafficking cases, while Nankana Sahib, Gujrat and Mandi Bahauddin also showed elevated trafficking trends.