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Pakistan’s Children Remain at Risk as 1,914 Abuse Cases Reported in Six Months
Nearly 1,914 cases of child abuse were reported across Pakistan between January and June 2026, according to Sahil’s latest Six Months Cruel Numbers report. Although the figure is slightly lower than the 1,956 cases recorded during the same period last year, it remains a disturbing measure of the dangers faced by
Christian Community Mourns Shazib Masih’s Killing in Islamabad, Pakistan
Pakistan’s Christian community is mourning the death of Shazib Masih, a young Christian who was reportedly shot and killed by an unidentified assailant in Islamabad. The circumstances surrounding the killing remain unclear. Authorities have yet to identify the attacker or determine the motive behind the shooting, raising serious concerns about the
Stolen Girls: The Hidden Machinery of Forced Conversion and Child Marriage in Pakistan
They are called “conversions” in official records. But behind the paperwork, signatures, and stamped certificates are children—girls barely in their teens—whose lives are being quietly erased. A recent report titled Stolen Girls, presented at the European Parliament by the Jubilee Campaign, lays bare a reality that is as disturbing as it
Justice in Question: Minor Returned to Alleged Abductor in Faisalabad Case
Authorities and courts in Faisalabad have sparked widespread outrage after a Sessions Court granted custody of 13-year-old Christian girl Amber Nadeem to the man accused of abducting her. The decision has alarmed human rights defenders and exposed serious weaknesses in Pakistan’s child protection framework and judicial conduct. On 12 June 2026,
Honor Without Justice: The Enduring Tragedy of Honor Killings in Pakistan
The continued use of “honor” as a justification for killing women in Pakistan reflects a disturbing contradiction between law and reality. While legal reforms have attempted to curb such crimes, the persistence of these killings reveals a deeper crisis—one rooted in social norms, power structures, and weak enforcement of justice. According
Pakistan’s Hidden Crisis: Over 3,000 Gender-Based Violence Cases in Just Six Months
Pakistan is not just facing a rise in gender-based violence—it is witnessing a quiet emergency unfolding behind closed doors. In the first six months of 2026 alone, at least 3,172 cases were reported. That number is difficult to absorb, but what it represents is even harder: thousands of individuals harmed, silenced,
Child Protection on Trial: Will Pakistan’s Top Court Legitimize a Child’s Abuse or Restore Maria Shahbaz’s Right to Safety?
Pakistan stands at a moral crossroads as the Federal Constitutional Court prepares to hear the review petition in the case of 13‑year‑old Maria Shahbaz on July 24. At its heart, this is not only a legal battle over custody — it is a test of whether the country’s highest court will
Pakistan’s Blasphemy Laws: A System Undermined by Fear, Misuse, and Institutional Failure
Pakistan’s blasphemy laws have become one of the country’s most controversial issues, not only because of their impact on religious minorities but also because of the repeated failure of institutions to prevent their misuse. A law that should operate within the boundaries of justice and fairness has, in many cases, become
Pakistan Cashes In On EU Trade Perks, While Its Religious Minorities Pay the Price
Pakistan is cashing in on the EU’s GSP+ trade concessions while it fails to honour the core human rights and governance obligations that justify those benefits. Atrocities, discrimination and violence continue at home, yet Pakistan still presents itself as a compliant partner on paper. Since 2014, Pakistan has relied on the
Targeted Killings of Christian Minorities in Balochistan Spark Renewed Calls for Protection and Justice
The killings of two young Christian men in Balochistan are not just another tragic headline—they are a stark reminder of how fragile life remains for religious minorities in Pakistan. Ayush Masih, 21, and Domnik Masih, 24, were shot dead by gunmen on motorcycles in Mastung. The attack happened in the Shamsabad
Justice Denied in Flames: Pakistan’s Failure to Protect Its Christian Minorities
Twelve years after one of Pakistan’s most brutal cases of mob violence, justice has not just been delayed—it has collapsed. The Supreme Court’s acquittal of the last three men convicted in the 2014 lynching of the Christian couple, Shahzad Masih and his pregnant wife, Shama Bibi, has reignited grief and raised
From Worship to Ashes: Pattoki Christian Family Loses Home in Alleged Revenge Arson
In Pattoki, Punjab, a Christian family has been reduced to homelessness in a deliberate arson attack that raises urgent questions about justice, protection, and equality in Pakistan. On 5 July 2026, Arshad Masih (34), his wife Kafia Bibi (33), and their two young sons, Haniyal (8) and Abraham (5), were attending
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Special Cases
Vanished Without a Trace: Hindu Girl Miran Meghwar’s Disappearance in Pakistan
Days have turned into nights, and nights into haunting silence for the family of 15-year-old Miran Meghwar, a Hindu girl from Sattar Nagar in Mirpurkhas, Sindh, who went missing and has yet to be found. Her parents wait by the door, clinging to hope with trembling hands and tearful prayers, yearning
Digital Accusations and Impunity: The Evolution of Pakistan’s Blasphemy Regime, 2023–2026
Pakistan’s blasphemy landscape has entered a more dangerous and complex phase. Despite periodic promises of reform, the data from 2023 to 2026 shows a clear deterioration: more cases, more mob violence, and a troubling shift toward digitally driven accusations that are harder to verify and easier to weaponize. The numbers alone
The Taunsa Tragedy: Inside Pakistan’s Child HIV Crisis
A chilling investigation by BBC World Service has cast a harsh light on a tragedy that continues to unfold in silence — one where the most vulnerable, children, may have paid the price for systemic failure. The documentary Stolen Lives: Who Gave Our Children HIV? lays bare allegations of grave malpractice
Sikh Blood Spilled in a Gurudwara in Pakistan
The killing of Jagannath and Asa Wanti inside a gurudwara in Mardan is not just another tragic headline—it is a moral indictment of a state that continues to fail its most vulnerable citizens. On June 17, an elderly Sikh couple, both around 70 years old, were shot dead inside a place
Behind Closed Doors: The Hidden Epidemic of Child Abuse in Pakistan
Childhood should be a time of safety, learning, and hope. Yet in Pakistan, countless children are facing a growing crisis of abuse, exploitation, and neglect. According to Sahil’s Cruel Numbers 2025 report, at least 3,630 cases of child abuse were recorded last year—a troubling 8% increase from 2024. This translates to
Targeted Killing in Pakistan: Hindu Trader’s Brutal Murder Exposes Lawless Horror in Sindh
Imagine the chaos: a bustling Station Road in Sukkur, alive with the hum of daily life, suddenly shattered by gunfire. Young businessman Vishal Kumar, full of dreams and promise, was gunned down in cold blood right in front of horrified onlookers. This wasn’t a shadowy alley crime—it was a brazen execution
Punjab’s Child Marriage Ordinance 2026: A Law on Paper, Not in Reality
Punjab’s government has announced the Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026, declaring that the minimum age of marriage is now 18 years for both boys and girls. Child marriage has also been made a non-bailable offence, with punishments of up to seven years in prison and fines reaching Rs1 million. On paper,
Behind the Numbers: The Silent Suffering of Minority Girls in Pakistan
Every year on International Women’s Day, the world celebrates progress, empowerment, and the resilience of women. Speeches are delivered, campaigns are launched, and powerful slogans about equality echo across the globe. Yet behind these celebrations, uncomfortable realities often remain hidden in the shadows. Some stories rarely receive the attention they deserve,
Pakistan Police Torture Christian Father to Death in Custody
Imagine the shattering ring of your husband’s phone—his voice silenced, replaced by a stranger’s cold demand. That’s how Nazia Masih’s world crumbled on March 26 in Lahore’s Sadhoki Kahna Nau neighborhood. Her husband, Iftikhar Masih, a devoted Catholic father of four and a humble gardener at the University of Lahore, was