By Imtiaz Hussain
SUKKUR: Social organization Sahil has released alarming statistics on violence against women in Pakistan, highlighting a significant rise in reported cases over the past year.
Barkat Ali Ansari, Provincial Coordinator, said that in 2024, 5,253 cases of violence against women were reported nationwide. This year, 6,543 cases have been recorded, representing a 25 percent increase compared with last year.
He noted that 1,414 women were murdered, often in the context of multiple charges including “Karo Kari,” while 585 women were sexually assaulted. The highest number of incidents occurred in Punjab, accounting for 78 percent of cases, followed by Sindh with 14 percent, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 6 percent, and 2 percent each in Balochistan, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit.
In Sindh alone, 306 women were killed, including 113 in “Karo Kari” cases. Additionally, 209 women committed suicide, 40 were tortured, 30 were raped, 58 were abducted, 38 attempted suicide, 22 faced attempted murder, 19 were harassed, and 12 were burned, Ansari reported.
He emphasized that these figures reflect a deepening crisis of violence against women in Pakistan and underlined the urgent need for stronger legal protections, social awareness, and effective implementation of existing laws to safeguard women’s rights.
