Islamabad, October 8, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Lahore reported 498 rape cases and 36 gang-rape incidents during the first eight months of 2026, according to police data cited by minority rights organisation Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), which has expressed concern over the scale of sexual violence in the Pakistani city.
The figures amount to more than four reported sexual offences a day when the reported cases are considered collectively, the organisation said.
Division-wise police data showed that Saddar recorded the highest number of rape cases at 132, followed by Model Town with 98, Cantonment with 92, Iqbal Town with 80, City with 56 and Civil Lines with 40.
Gang-rape cases were reported in all six divisions. Model Town recorded 10 cases, Cantonment nine, while Saddar and Iqbal Town reported six cases each.
VOPM said the situation appeared even more serious when reported sodomy cases were included, taking the total number of reported sexual-offence cases to 1,108 during the eight-month period.
The organisation cautioned that registered cases may represent only a fraction of actual offences, citing factors including stigma, social pressure, distrust of police and fear of ostracisation that can discourage victims from filing complaints.
VOPM also referred to the alleged gang rape of a 20-year-old Azerbaijani woman in Lahore, which attracted international attention, while stressing that Pakistani women and girls also face sexual violence and that many such cases receive comparatively limited attention.
Calling the situation a failure extending beyond law and order, the organisation urged stronger institutional action, greater protection for survivors and more effective prosecution of perpetrators.
It said the reported figures should prompt concrete measures to improve accountability and ensure that victims can seek justice without fear or social pressure.
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