ISLAMABAD: A total of 1,914 cases of child abuse were reported across Pakistan during the first six months of 2026, according to data released by child rights organisation Sahil on Thursday.

The report states that 49 of the reported cases involved infants who were found abandoned by the roadside. Between January and June 2026, the organisation recorded 1,015 cases of child sexual abuse, 558 cases of abduction, 101 cases of missing children, 35 cases of child marriages and 98 cases involving pornography following sexual abuse.

The report is based on data compiled from national and regional newspapers across all four provinces, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).

According to the report, girls accounted for 58 per cent of the reported victims, while boys made up 42pc.

Children aged 11 to 15 years were the most vulnerable, with 598 reported victims in that age group. This was followed by 356 victims aged 16 to 18 years, 329 aged six to 10 years and 95 aged up to five years. In 487 cases, the victims’ ages were not mentioned.

According to the report, 43pc of the alleged abusers were acquaintances of the victims, while 34pc were strangers. In 13pc of the cases, the status of the alleged abuser was not mentioned.

Nearly 45pc of the reported incidents occurred at the victims’ homes, while 18pc took place at the alleged abusers’ residences. Three per cent of the cases occurred in open fields, while the location was not specified in 21pc of the cases.

The report further showed that 57pc of the reported cases occurred in urban areas and 43pc in rural areas.

Punjab accounted for 80pc of the reported cases during the first half of 2026, followed by Sindh with 15pc. The remaining 5pc were reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan.

According to the data, police registered 89pc of the reported cases. In 11pc of the cases, the registration status was not mentioned. Seven cases were not registered with the police, while in one case police allegedly refused to register the complaint.

Sahil has been working on child protection since 1996, with a particular focus on preventing child sexual abuse. The organisation also provides legal assistance to victims.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2026