Broken law, broken lives

At least 1,914 cases of child abuse were reported across the country during the first six months of 2026 alone, a staggering number that should be seen as the nation's shame. The numbers are also getting worse. More than nine children were abused daily on average in 2025, and the number of cases rose by 8% compared to the previous year. The data compiled by the NGO Sahil also shows that 45% of incidents took place at the victims' own residences, while abusers in 43% of the cases were known to the victims. Girls make up a majority of the victims - 58% - but boys in the 11-15 age bracket are also considered highly vulnerable.

What is really riling up critics is the fact that Pakistan already has strong laws on the books regarding child protection, but we refuse to fully implement or enforce them. The Zainab Alert Act, the Juvenile Justice System Act and provincial child protection policies all exist on paper, but their implementation remains fragmented and reactive. Laws are useless if not evenly invoked. The Islamabad High Court recently noted that key provisions of the Zainab Alert Act remain lifeless due to shoddy implementation. A surfeit of laws means nothing when enforcement is absent. While 89% of cases were registered with police, registration is not justice. The conviction rate remains pitiful, and societal stigma often silences survivors and forces families to withdraw cases.

The crisis demands an overhaul of the criminal justice system, with specialised child protection units, fast-track courts and mandatory child safety education in schools. Law enforcement must be trained to handle cases with sensitivity, and survivors must receive psychological and legal support. Most of all, the government and civil society must eradicate taboos that breed a culture of silence that protects perpetrators and treats abuse as a private matter, rather than a societal failure.