In a troubling year for gender-based violence in Pakistan, a total of 5,112 cases were reported across the country in 2024, according to a report by Sahil, a non-governmental organization. The cases encompass various forms of violence, including murder, suicide, abduction, rape, and torture, highlighting the pervasive nature of the issue.
The report, which is based on data gathered from 81 newspapers across all four provinces, including the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), shows that 554 cases were reported in December alone. Between January and November, 1,273 cases of murder, 799 abductions, 579 incidents of torture, 533 rapes, and 380 suicides were recorded.
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The data reveals that 5% of the victims were minors under the age of 18, while 95% were adults, with those aged 21-30 being the most vulnerable to abuse. Disturbingly, in 33% of the cases, the perpetrators were known to the victims, while 14% involved husbands and 10% were committed by strangers.
A provincial breakdown shows that 73% of the total cases were reported from Punjab, followed by 15% from Sindh, 8% from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 2% each from ICT, Balochistan, AJK, and G-B.
