Islamabad, May 11, 2026
At least 388 adults and 10 minors faced domestic violence, harassment, abuse, and related crimes in Pakistan’s Karachi from January-April this year, according to the latest statistics revealed by the Police Women and Child Protection Cell.
The report showcases how abuse unfolded behind closed doors in Karachi, with domestic violence being the most widely reported issue. Authorities have received 297 complaints about domestic abuse from January-April. Among these, 190 complaints were resolved while nearly 100 cases remain pending, demonstrating delays in providing relief to victims, The Express Tribune reported. Police lodged three formal cases in domestic violence incidents.
Karachi has been witnessing rise in harassment cases. The protection cell received 83 complaints related to harassment and intimidation. Among these complaints, 42 were resolved, while action on 41 complaints is still being taken. Officials said that one formal case was lodged in a case involving harassment.
Furthermore, the cell received 19 complaints related to sexual assault and other forms of intimidation. Among these, nine complaints were resolved while 10 cases are still pending investigation and legal action, The Express Tribune reported.
A report recently detailed that human rights abuses have increased in Pakistan, particularly for the most vulnerable groups. Women experience the most severe consequences of Pakistan’s structural inequalities in the form of a femicide crisis.
Gender-based violence, including acid attacks, forced and child marriage, rape, trafficking, forced conversion, and domestic abuse remain widespread in Pakistan. Hundreds of women are killed each year in so-called “honour killings”, often by relatives, over perceived family shame.
At least 405 cases were reported in 2024; however, the real figures are likely more, due to low reporting and weak and inconsistent enforcement, according to a report in Genocide Watch. More than 2,000 domestic violence cases and 5,000 accounts of rape were recorded in 2024, demonstrating Pakistan’s status as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for women.
According to a 2025 United Nations report, two out of every three Pakistani women are not given reproductive autonomy, and they face abuse and pressure about their reproductive health. In September, the Lahore High Court ruled that marriages after puberty are valid under Islamic law, as girl marriage remains widespread in Pakistan, with millions married under the age of 18 years, according to the report in Genocide Watch.
Pakistan was ranked at the last spot in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index, and it faces an education crisis, with over 21 million children reportedly out of school due to poverty, social pressures, child labour, and discrimination.(Agency)
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