Over 500 Women and Girls Sexually Assaulted in 2023

In Karachi alone, over 500 women and underage girls experienced sexual assault in the year 2023, alongside 4,042 reported cases of physical assault, according to the police surgeon.

Additionally, the Edhi Foundation reported 714 people shot dead and 3,022 with bullet wounds in Karachi during the same year, reflecting a 15% increase in violent deaths compared to 2022.

The charity’s spokesperson conveyed that this data was derived from incidents reported at major medical centers, including Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH).

Police Surgeon Summaiya Syed, leading the team of medico-legal officers in these hospitals, added that 1,565 bodies underwent post-mortem examinations, including murder victims, traffic accidents, and suicides.

Edhi Foundation’s comprehensive data highlighted 248 deaths due to torture, 23 from cylinder/gas explosions, and other incidents. Notably, 180 individuals resorted to suicide, 13 were casualties of train accidents, and 23 perished in various accidents involving fire. The data also indicated 119 deaths from electrocution and 191 drownings in different incidents in the city during 2023.

Also Read: Pakistan Records Six-Year High in Terror Attacks and Fatalities in 2023

In terms of road incidents, 750 people lost their lives, and 11,728 sustained injuries, with 63% of those affected being motorcyclists. Infanticide cases numbered 224, while Faisal Edhi expressed disappointment but noted a ‘significant reduction’ in the recovery of newborn bodies.

Police Surgeon Summaiya Syed reported 522 cases of sexual assault on women and young girls in 2023, along with 4,042 instances of physical assault. She revealed that 22 bodies were exhumed on the orders of judicial magistrates/courts during the year.

In the broader context of law enforcement, a police spokesperson shared that, until December 29, Sindh witnessed 3,158 encounters resulting in 21 policemen martyred and the elimination of 1,726 criminal gangs.

Additionally, 188 encounters with dacoits in riverine areas led to 40 bandits killed and 136 others arrested. Sindh Rangers conducted 163 operations against terrorists, targeted killers, kidnappers, and extortionists, arresting 197 high-profile suspects.

Furthermore, their actions against water theft saved approximately 25 million gallons of water daily, contributing to a monthly revenue increase of Rs200 million for the Karachi Water & Sewerage Board.