KARACHI, Jan 10: As many as 1745 cases of abduction of women and children were reported all over Pakistan last year.

There were 1193 cases of women kidnapping, 266 cases of female child abduction and 286 cases of male child abduction.

Despite these enormous figures, the fact remains that crimes against children and women continue to be under-reported in the country.

The statistics were compiled by Madadgaar, a joint venture of the Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid (LHRLA) and UNICEF.

Out of recognized 1193 women kidnapping cases, 59 were published in the month of January; in February 58, in March 76, in April 113, in May 108, in June 89, in July 114, in August 130, in September 126, in October 141, in November 88, and in December 91 cases were reported,

In many reported cases, the perpetrator was known to the victim; he was either an acquaintance, a neighbour, a relative, a friend, family friend or a stranger. In some very significant cases the kidnapper was a policeman, in other cases the kidnapper was a dacoit, husband, wadera or jagirdar (feudal lord), peer, faqir (spiritual leader), maulvi, shopkeeper, pimp or trafficker.

During the year 286 cases of male child abduction were reported. Of these reported cases 15 were in acknowledged in January; 7 in February, 13 in March, 15 in April, 31 in May, 27 in June, 23 in July, 47 in August, 28 in September, 31 in October, 20 in November and 29 cases of male child abduction were published in December 2001.

According to a news report published in The Observer, Washington, at least 30 boys a month are being kidnapped from Pakistan to feed the banned slave trade in racing camel jockeys in the United Arab Emirates.

During the year 266 cases of female child kidnapping were reported all over the country. Out of these, 8 cases were acknowledged on January, 8 in February, 6 in March, 6 in April, 15 in May, 15 in June, 32 in July, 34 in August, 29 in September, 52 in October, 25 in November and 36 cases were reported in December.

Cases of the kidnapping of children and women were rampant in the Punjab and Sindh. During the last twelve months 851 cases of abduction of women and children were reported in the Punjab; 794 cases in Sindh, 51 in the NWFP and 49 cases of kidnapping were acknowledged by the print media.