ost mornings, parents across Lahore wake up to a recurring nightmare. Despite efforts by law enforcement, non-government organisations, the Child Protection Bureau and the society at large, child abuse continues to persist in the provincial metropolis.

Registered cases

Protecting children from violence and exploitation has evolved from a social responsibility into an urgent, high-stakes battle. According to data available with The News on Sunday, over 300 cases of child abuse including rape, sodomy and murder were reported in 2025. The Lahore Police registered 121 cases of child abuse in the first six months of this year alone, signalling a crisis that is stretching the legal system to its limits.

Lahore Police’s operations and investigation wings have arrested 126 accused in cases registered on child abuse. At least 34 cases have been discharged while complete and incomplete challans of 66 cases were sent to relevant courts for trial. Lahore police is still investigating 20 cases of child abuse that were registered during January 1-June 28.

Out of the six divisions under Lahore Police, Cantt and Saddar divisions registered 31 cases of child abuse in each division. Model Town Division recorded 21 cases; Iqbal Town reported 15 incidents of child abuse, City, 13 cases and Civil Lines reported 10 incidents.

Investigation

A senior investigating officer of the Lahore Police says that following the registration of an FIR, the police prioritises immediate medical examination to secure forensic evidence in child abuse cases. Investigations utilise CCTV footage, digital data, where possible, and testimony.

The process is guided by legal frameworks, including the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act, 2021, which requires supervision by a DSP. In cases involving female victims, cases are transferred to the Special Sexual Offences Investigation Unit. The supervising officer closely monitors every stage of the investigation to ensure transparency and legal compliance before a police report (challan) is submitted to the court.

Available CCTV footage, video recordings, digital evidence or eyewitness testimony plays a vital role in strengthening the prosecution’s case and ensuring that the offender is brought to justice.

Under Pakistani law, the statement of a child victim carries significant evidentiary value. Relevant provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code and other laws, including Section 377, where applicable, are invoked to ensure that offenders are prosecuted effectively.

These legal safeguards are designed to protect the dignity and rights of child victims, strengthen the quality of investigations and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice in accordance with the law.

Cybercrime cell

Recently, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency-Punjab has established a specialised cell to ensure prompt case registration, investigation and prosecution of cybercrime cases involving women and children. Launched on the directive of Muhammad Ali Waseem, the agency’s operations director for the Punjab, the initiative aims to provide prompt legal action and victim support in sensitive cases.

The specialised unit prioritises complaints related to online harassment, blackmail, cyber exploitation, fake social media accounts and unauthorised sharing of private photographs or videos. Officials say investigations into such cases are conducted under the supervision of a deputy director to ensure transparent, timely and effective legal proceedings.

Reporting cases

DIG Ahsan Younas, the Punjab Safe Cities Authority’s managing director, says responding immediately to child abuse cases remains their top priority. He says that dialing 3 on Rescue 15 helpline has been made an option specifically to report incidents of child abuse, in a bid to “minimise response time.” He adds that citizens can also directly call 0309-5555515 from any place in Pakistan.

Any incident related to missing children, child abuse, online exploitation or child protection, he says, can be reported immediately.

The Virtual Centre for Child Safety (Mera Pyara) was established in July, 2024, in the Punjab Safe Cities Authority. Younas says it is Pakistan’s first digital child safety platform, providing 24/7 services on cases related to missing and abandoned children, special children, child abuse, online exploitation and child protection.

DIG Younas says, so far, more than 155,650 cases related to children have been processed. He says more than 77,000 children, of whom some had been missing for years, were reunited with their families.

Since, the launch of Mera Pyara, more than 27,986 FIRs were registered across the Punjab. Around 5,534 FIRs relating to child abuse cases were registered during this period and 206 cases of online child abuse and digital exploitation were processed.

National Child Protection Network

DIG Ahsan Younas says that the Punjab Safe Cities Authority has linked the data of abandoned and missing persons present in about 195 orphanages, Edhi Centres across Pakistan to the Safe City system, through which the process of identification and recovery of lost and abandoned children has been made more effective.

He says the Virtual Centre for Child Safety was named a champion project in the United Nations WSIS Prizes 2026 while two projects of the Punjab Safe Cities Authority were the only projects from Pakistan to be shortlisted for the WSIS Awards globally.

Despite continued efforts, incidents of child sexual abuse continue to occur. This disturbing trend highlights that combating such crimes requires effective policing alongside a collective commitment from families, educational institutions, communities and the society as a whole to protect Pakistan’s children.

*If you or anyone you know has faced child abuse, immediately contact Child Protection Bureau Helpline 1121 or Rescue 15 helpline and seek professional legal and medical help.

The writer is a reporter at The News.