*BY: Dr. Abdul Ghani
E.Mail: ghanillm@yahoo.com*
A society is judged not by the height of its buildings or the strength of its economy, but by the safety of its children. When a little girl leaves home to buy groceries and never returns alive, the nation loses far more than an innocent life; it loses a part of its conscience. The recent tragedy in Sargodha, where a young girl was allegedly sexually assaulted and brutally murdered, is not merely another criminal case; it is a painful reminder that Pakistan continues to fail its most vulnerable citizens. Every such incident exposes the widening gap between our laws and their implementation, our public outrage and meaningful reform, and our collective values and everyday realities.
The Sargodha case shocked the nation because of its brutality. According to the police investigation, the child had gone to a nearby grocery shop where she frequently visited. When she failed to return home, her father searched for her and eventually found her critically injured on the third floor of the shop. The First Information Report (FIR), registered under Sections 302, 376, 511 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code, alleges that the child was sexually assaulted before being murdered. The preliminary post-mortem report indicated possible rape and revealed multiple severe injuries to her head and neck. While the final forensic report is awaited, the incident has once again highlighted the horrifying vulnerability of children in places that should have been considered safe.
Sadly, the Sargodha tragedy is not an isolated incident. Pakistan has repeatedly witnessed similar cases that have shaken public confidence in the criminal justice system. The rape and murder of seven-year-old Zainab Ansari in Kasur in 2018 led to nationwide protests and legislative reforms. The murder of five-year-old Marwah in Karachi in 2020 again exposed weaknesses in child protection mechanisms. Although the murder of Noor Mukadam in Islamabad in 2021 involved an adult victim, it further demonstrated the persistence of gender-based violence irrespective of age or social status. Despite public outrage after every high-profile case, meaningful institutional reforms have often remained slow and inconsistent.
The available statistics are equally alarming. A recent study published , an organisation working for the protection of children against abuse and violence, reported that 3,630 child abuse cases were recorded across Pakistan in 2025 alone, averaging almost ten children abused every day. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported 4,175 rape cases and 733 gang rape cases in 2024, with Punjab recording the highest number of female rape and sexual assault victims. Similarly, the Sustainable Social Development Organization documented 5,339 rape cases nationwide in 2024, of which 4,641 occurred in Punjab. These figures represent only reported cases; experts widely acknowledge that many incidents remain unreported because of social stigma, fear of retaliation and lack of trust in the criminal justice system.
Internationally, Pakistan is not alone in confronting sexual violence against children, but many countries have responded with stronger preventive systems. According to UNICEF, more than 370 million girls and women worldwide have experienced rape or sexual assault before the age of eighteen. Countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia have strengthened child protection through mandatory reporting laws, integrated child advocacy centres, specialised forensic interview units, sex offender registries and comprehensive school safeguarding programmes. Although no country has completely eliminated these crimes, such measures have significantly improved early detection, victim protection, prosecution rates and public awareness.
Pakistan must move beyond reactive policymaking driven by public outrage. Effective prevention requires a comprehensive national strategy. Child protection authorities must be strengthened and adequately funded in every province. Police officers investigating sexual offences should receive specialised training in child-sensitive investigations and forensic evidence collection. Fast-track courts dealing with child sexual abuse should ensure timely trials without compromising due process. Schools should introduce age-appropriate child safety education, teaching children how to recognise abuse, report inappropriate behaviour and seek help without fear. Parents, too, must be equipped through community awareness programmes to identify warning signs and supervise children effectively. Equally important is the expansion of psychological counselling and rehabilitation services for survivors and their families.
The true measure of justice, however, is not the number of arrests made after a child has been killed, but the number of children whose lives are protected before such crimes occur. Every murdered child represents not only the failure of an individual offender but also the failure of institutions entrusted with safeguarding society. The memory of Zainab, Marwah, the innocent girl from Sargodha, and countless unnamed victims demands more than temporary outrage. It demands sustained political will, effective law enforcement, community responsibility and an unwavering commitment to ensuring that no child in Pakistan grows up fearing the very society that is supposed to protect her.
