658 runaway children intercepted at Pakistan Railway Stations in 2025

Many cite lack of basic necessities, corporal punishment at home and in schools as reasons

LAHORE:

At least 658 children ran away from their homes and were intercepted at railway stations across Pakistan in 2025, many citing hunger, lack of basic necessities and corporal punishment at home and in schools, according to data released by the Pakistan Railways Police.

Official data shared with The Express Tribune shows that during 2025, railway police intercepted 658 runaway children across the country, including 413 boys and 245 girls, who had reached various railway stations after fleeing their homes. All were later reunited with their families.

The group included girls aged between 15 and 18 and boys aged 14 to 17, with the majority falling in the 12–15 age bracket. Most told police they had run away due to domestic pressures and harsh living conditions, either attempting to reach relatives or surviving around railway stations.

Railway police recovered the children from stations in Lahore, Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Multan, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Quetta and other cities, before handing them over to parents or close relatives following verification.

During initial questioning, many children cited unemployment, food insecurity, inflation, parental scolding, forced labour, corporal punishment, and the lure of social media and an aspirational lifestyle as key reasons for leaving home.

Police said worsening economic conditions had pushed some families to send young children to work in private homes for cooking, cleaning and other domestic tasks, often without maintaining contact for months. Some children fled these placements, while others ran away after realising they were being forced into labour instead of being sent to school.

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Another recurring complaint was parents’ inability to provide items children associate with a “better life”, such as pizza, burgers, noodles, branded shoes, school bags, stationery, lunch boxes and smartphones. Many children compared themselves with classmates who brought a variety of food and supplies to school, leading to frustration at home. When these demands could not be met due to financial hardship, some said they were subjected to physical punishment.

Children also reported experiencing violence at schools and madrassas, compounding the pressure they already faced at home.

A senior railway police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said some girls disclosed that they had run away after their families refused to allow them to marry partners of their choice, while others cited online relationships formed through Facebook. In several cases, girls arrived at railway stations carrying cash, jewellery and clothing taken from home, all of which was later returned to their families.

“When children are exposed to violence both at home and in educational institutions, running away becomes their escape,” the officer said. “Parents must listen to their children’s concerns and schools must end corporal punishment if this trend is to be reversed”.

The officer added that railway police help desks regularly receive runaway children, who are reunited with their families only after thorough checks. Parents are also counselled to improve their behaviour towards their children.