Islamabad records more gang rape incidents than any other province: report

ISLAMABAD: The federal capital of Pakistan has reported most cases of gang rape than Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) combined, The News reported on Friday, citing officially reported crime statistics.

The country witnessed a staggering 11,074 murder cases, alongside 2,142 instances of gang rape, 4,472 cases of Zina, and 34,688 kidnappings or abductions.

Punjab emerged as the most affected province, recording the highest numbers in all categories, including murder, gang rape, and kidnapping.

Notably, the federal capital, Islamabad, reported more cases of gang rape than any other province, raising concerns about safety in urban areas.

The murder toll in Punjab reached a grim total of 4,908, while KP followed with 3,444 in 2024.

Meanwhile, Sindh reported 1,862 murders, and smaller totals were noted in Balochistan (528), Islamabad (155), GB (122), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (75).

A total of 2,142 cases of gang rape emerged across Pakistan in the past year. 

Punjab reported 2,046 cases of gang rape. Sindh reported 71 cases of gang rape. In KP, one gang rape and 402 cases of Zina were recorded in the past year, whereas in Balochistan, no case of gang rape and 43 cases of Zina were reported. 

In Islamabad, a total of 22 cases of gang rape and 125 cases of Zina were reported. In Gilgit Baltistan, one case of gang rape was reported. Furthermore, in AJK, a total of 33 cases of Zina and no case of gang rape was reported in 2024, according to officially reported crime statistics.

A total of 28,702 cases of kidnapping/abduction were reported from Punjab in 2024, once again the highest reported among other provinces.

Sindh reported 4,331 kidnappings and abductions, KP reported 533, Balochistan reported 406 cases, Islamabad reported 238 cases, GB reported 108 cases, and AJK reported 370 cases. Accumulatively, 34,688 cases of kidnappings/abductions were reported across Pakistan in 2024.

However, Punjab reported the lowest cases of riots after Islamabad, where no cases of riots took place in the past year. 

A total of 4,533 cases of riots took place in 2024 across Pakistan, with Punjab reporting only two cases of riots. Sindh reported 3,472 cases of riots, KP reported 12 cases, Balochistan reported 292 cases, GB reported  196 cases, and AJK reported a total of 557 cases of riots in the past year.