Punjab police on Saturday arrested five suspects for their alleged involvement in the gang rape of a child in Muzaffargarh, according to an official statement.

Last year, Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Sahil’s Six Months Cruel Numbers data revealed that a total of 1,630 cases of child abuse were reported from across the country.

In the first six months of 2024, 862 cases of child sexual abuse, 668 cases of abduction, 82 cases of missing children and 18 cases of child marriages were reported.48 cases of pornography after sexual abuse were also recorded.

“A case has been registered against the accused at the Shah Jamal police station in Muzaffargarh,” a police spokesperson said.

The first information report (FIR) was registered under sections 375-A (gang rape) and 377-B (sexual abuse of a minor) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

“The suspects took a minor child to a mango orchard and molested him,” the spokesperson added.

Earlier, Muzaffargarh District Police Officer Dr Muhammad Rizwan Khan also took notice of the gang rape in the Shah Jamal police station area, according to the spokesperson.

On Friday, Punjab police claimed to have arrested three of the four men who allegedly gang raped a 16-year-old girl after abducting her at Chak 437 GB, Samundri in Faisalabad district.

Last month, Punjab police had also arrested three suspects for allegedly gang-raping a woman in Lahore.