Mansehra police on Friday arrested a man suspected of sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl a day earlier, officials said.

A first information report (FIR) against the suspect has been filed at the Garhi Habibullah police station, according to Mansehra District Police Officer (DPO) Shafiullah Gandapur.

He confirmed to Dawn.com that the girl was allegedly raped and that the accused, a 64-year-old, had been arrested.

“A case has been registered under the Child Protection Act. The suspect has been successfully arrested,” the DPO said in a video statement on X. “We have collected evidence and formed a special investigation team. I am pursuing this case personally,” he added.

A statement from the DPO’s office said that he met the victim in the hospital earlier today and assured the girl’s family that they would “get justice” and authorities would “punish the accused strictly according to the law”.

The statement adds that a deputy superintendent of police, the Garhi Habibullah station house officer and the investigating officer of the case have been ordered to “conduct the investigation on merit”, pursue all aspects and “punish the accused”.

DPO Gandapur also ordered the Victim Support Service Team Mansehra to provide medical aid and psychological treatment to the girl.

In 2023, a total number of 4,213 child abuse cases had been reported, according to Sahil, an NGO working for the welfare of children. The cases had been reported from all four provinces, Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The total number of cases included reported cases of child sexual abuse, cases of abduction, cases of missing children, and child marriages.