Pakistan’s Lahore reports 498 rape cases, 36 gang-rape incidents in first eight months of 2026
Islamabad, Oct 8 (IANS) As Pakistan witnesses a disturbing rise in sexual violence, Lahore alone reported 498 rape and 36 gang-rape cases in the first eight months of 2026, a leading minority rights organisation stated on Thursday citing police records.
Expressing grave concern over the disturbing figures, Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM) said that the data translates into an average of more than four reported sexual offences every day.
“These are not abstract numbers. They are daughters, sisters, mothers and neighbours whose lives have been shattered, often within the very homes that were meant to protect them,” the rights body said.
Highlighting the escalating violence across Lahore, the VOPM said that the police division-wise data presented an alarming picture, with Saddar recording the highest number of reported rape cases at 132, followed by Model Town with 98, Cantonment with 92, Iqbal Town with 80, City with 56 and Civil Lines with 40. Gang-rape cases were reported across all six divisions, with Model Town recording 10 cases, Cantonment nine, and Saddar and Iqbal Town six each.
“No neighbourhood is spared. No community is immune. When sodomy cases are included, the total reaches 1,108 reported sexual-offence cases in eight months. This is not a crime wave confined to dark alleys or marginalised areas. It is happening in affluent sectors, crowded markets, and quiet residential streets. The violence is everywhere, and fear is everywhere with it,” it said.
Emphasising that the statistics reveal only part of the picture, VOPM cited rights organisations which have repeatedly warned that registered FIRs represent only a fraction of the offences actually committed.
“Stigma, shame, family pressure, distrust of police, and the threat of social ostracisation keep countless victims silent. Many never report. Many are told to stay quiet. Many are blamed. An increase in registered cases can signal two things at once: more crimes committed, and more courage to speak. But even with greater reporting, the system fails those who come forward,” it noted.
The rights body cited the case of a 20-year-old Azerbaijani woman allegedly gang-raped in Lahore, which drew international attention. It highlighted that foreign nationals are not the only victims — Pakistani women and girls face sexual violence every day, with many cases receiving far less attention.
“Lahore’s rape crisis is not a law-and-order problem alone. It is a moral failure. It is a failure of institutions, of leadership, and of collective will. The numbers demand more than sympathy. They demand action. Until conviction rates rise, until survivors are protected, until perpetrators face certain punishment, Lahore will remain a city where justice is a promise broken and silence is the only safety,” the VOPM mentioned.
–IANS
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