Pakistan sees widespread violence against women amid data gaps

Islamabad, Nov 22 (IANS) At least 85 women have faced violence daily over the past six months in Pakistan’s Punjab province, including nine cases of rape each day, according to a biannual report released by the Islamabad-based Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO).

Additionally, Punjab recorded 51 cases of kidnapping during the same period, while as many as 25 women were subjected to domestic violence each day.

The findings obtained through Right to Information (RTI) from the police department shed light on the prevalence and patterns of violence against women in Punjab from January to June 2025, including rape, kidnapping, honour killing, trafficking, and cyber harassment, with more than 15000 cases reported.

Lahore emerged as the district with the highest burden, reporting 340 cases of sexual assault, 3,018 kidnappings and 2,115 cases of domestic violence. The provincial capital also recorded one of the highest numbers of honour killings in the province.

Other districts with persistently high rates of violence against women included Multan, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Kasur, Toba Tek Singh and Nankana Sahib.

On the other hand, five districts — Okara, Sheikhupura, Layyah, Pakpattan and Gujrat — reported cases of cyber harassment, a figure SSDO attributed to the limited access to digital complaint systems and significant underreporting . Muzaffargarh and Pakpattan recorded the highest trafficking-related offences,

The report expressed grave concerns over missing data from multiple districts. Despite repeated directives from the Punjab Information Commission, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Chakwal, Chiniot, Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, Hafizabad, Narowal, Rahim Yar Khan, Rajanpur, Rawalpindi, Sahiwal and Sargodha failed to submit the necessary information, Pakistan's leading daily The Express Tribune reported.

The SSDO warned that significant gaps in data foster disinformation, erode public trust, and conceal the truth about the crisis.

It noted that under the RTI Act, law enforcement agencies are legally obliged to disclose these records, and the absence of data undermines the transparency and accuracy of provincial statistics on violence against women.

Describing the situation as 'alarming', the SSDO called for coordinated action to improve reporting and referral systems, strengthen police investigative capacity, expedite judicial proceedings and broaden survivor support services, including shelters, legal aid and psycho-social assistance.

--IANS

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