ISLAMABAD, April 11, 2025 (Alliance News): A shocking total of 2,142 cases of gang rape were officially reported across Pakistan in 2024, with Punjab and the federal capital, Islamabad, emerging as the worst-affected regions, according to official crime data cited by The News.
Overall, the country recorded 11,074 murder cases, 4,472 instances of Zina (rape/sexual assault), and 34,688 cases of kidnapping or abduction in the year.
Punjab alone accounted for 2,046 out of the total gang rape cases—almost 95 percent—making it the epicenter of this heinous crime. Notably, Islamabad reported 22 cases of gang rape, which is higher than the combined total from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (1 case), Gilgit Baltistan (1 case), Balochistan (0), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (0).
The federal capital’s ranking ahead of entire provinces has raised serious concerns over the safety of women in urban centers. Islamabad also recorded 125 cases of Zina and 238 cases of abduction.
In terms of murder, Punjab reported 4,908 killings, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 3,444, Sindh with 1,862, Balochistan with 528, Islamabad with 155, Gilgit Baltistan with 122, and AJK with 75.
Kidnapping and abduction cases were overwhelmingly reported from Punjab with 28,702 cases—over 82 percent of the nationwide total. Sindh followed with 4,331 cases, while the rest of the provinces reported significantly lower numbers.
Interestingly, Punjab recorded the second-lowest number of riots (2 cases) after Islamabad, which reported none in 2024. Sindh led the country in riot incidents with 3,472, followed by AJK with 557, Balochistan with 292, GB with 196, KP with 12, and Punjab with 2.
These figures reflect alarming trends in violent crimes and highlight the urgent need for more effective policing, legal reforms, and public safety measures across the country, especially in Punjab and the capital city.
