More than 900 individuals, including women, were kidnapped, and 152 were sexually assaulted or molested in Pakistan’s Karachi in 2024, according to a report by Dawn.
At least 891 kidnapping cases and 152 instances of rape or unnatural offences were recorded during the year. He reported that the kidnapping victims included 483 girls (mostly teenagers), 306 men and boys, and 150 women. Out of the 891 kidnappings, 267 occurred in the Soan Zone, 214 in the Saddar Zone, 204 in the Rural Zone, 127 in the City Zone, and 79 in the Industrial Area Zone.
Five cases were filed under section 365-A of the PPC (kidnapping or abduction for the purpose of extorting property), involving the abduction of four males and two females for ransom, the report said.
In addition, 413 cases were filed under section 365B (kidnapping, abducting, or persuading a woman to compel her to marry, etc.), with 413 girls as the victims. Furthermore, there were 249 cases under section 365 (kidnapping or abduction with the intent to secretly and wrongfully confine a person), involving the abduction of 242 males and 25 females.
The report further reported similarly, that 60 cases were registered under section 364-A (kidnapping or abducting a person under 14 years), with 44 males and 18 females as victims. Additionally, seven cases were filed under section 363 (punishment for kidnapping), and eight cases were registered under section 364 (kidnapping or abduction with the intent to murder), involving the abduction of seven males and one female.
Likewise, 150 cases under section 496-A (enticing, taking away, or detaining a woman with criminal intent) were related to the abduction of 145 married women. Additionally, four cases were filed under section 496 (fraudulent marriage ceremony without a lawful marriage), with four married women as victims, while one married woman was abducted, and the case was registered under section 496B (fornication).
The police also recorded 152 cases of sexual assault, involving 152 victims, including 77 girls and six women. Of the 51 rape incidents, 51 were reported in the Soan Zone, 34 in both the Saddar and Rural zones, 18 in the City Zone, and 15 in the Industrial Area Zone.
There were 133 incidents of rape (one registered under section 375, 25 under 275A, 105 under 376, and one each under 376A and 376C). Out of the total, 25 were gang rape incidents and four were committed at gunpoint in which 69 girls and six women were the victims. Besides, 53 males/boys were sexually assaulted.
Additionally, there were 23 cases of unnatural offences as well, with eight girls and 13 boys being the victims.
In one rape case reported at the Margalla police station, investigation officers, along with other police personnel and a medico-legal officer from Pims, tampered with and destroyed evidence by altering the blood samples of the rape suspect.
Following this, the Margalla police filed a case in December against seven individuals, including three police officers, the MLO, and a Pims employee, after they were found guilty in an inquiry based on a complaint from the victim.