Senator Sherry Rehman calls for urgent action on Pakistan's child abuse surge

In a statement, Senator Sherry Rehman described a grave child protection crisis in Pakistan, citing 1,914 reported cases of violence and abuse between January and June 2026. She pointed out that Punjab accounted for the bulk of these incidents, raising doubts about existing safeguards. Rehman emphasized that a large share of accused individuals were familiar to the victims and that many abuses took place in the children’s own homes, underscoring failures in family and community vigilance.

Although a high proportion of cases were registered with police, she warned that registration alone is insufficient without diligent investigation and prosecution. The senator urged the higher courts to ensure speedy trials to prevent impunity and further trauma, and called for a coordinated state and societal response to protect children.