# Pakistan gender‑based violence crisis

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/pakistan-femicide-and-gender-violence
> Updated: 2026-08-10T15:19:06.000Z. Sources: 21. Developments: 5.

In late June 2026, Pakistani authorities intensified investigations into two high‑profile gender‑based violence cases. An 18‑year‑old domestic worker who suffered months of sexual abuse died after complications from a late‑term abortion; murder charges were filed against her employer’s son and driver, and the clinic involved faces possible prosecution. In a separate case, the exhumed body of 18‑year‑old Misbah in Karachi is being examined for forensic evidence after her family accused her husband of homicide.

A July 13 Human Rights Commission of Pakistan report on 2025 data recorded 470 honor‑related killings, 1,332 murders linked to domestic violence and nearly 3,000 assault cases against women. Anthropologist Samar Minallah campaigns to drop the “honor” label and trains police, while critics highlight the 1990 forgiveness clause that lets families pardon perpetrators, noting only two convictions for honor killings in the first half of 2025.

A report by the NGO Sahil covering the first half of 2026 documented 3,172 incidents of violence, including 644 murders, 280 rapes, 132 honor killings, 514 cases of torture, 462 abductions, 363 suicides and 175 injuries. Punjab accounted for 74% of these reports, followed by Sindh at 17% and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 6%. Data indicates that in approximately 27% of cases, perpetrators were acquaintances, while husbands were identified as the accused in 13% of murder cases. There is also a noted trend of high involvement in killing and murder cases among individuals between the ages of 21 and 30.

A new Sahil child‑protection study (Jan‑Jun 2026) revealed 1,914 child‑abuse cases, including 1,015 sexual‑abuse incidents, 558 abductions and 35 child marriages. Girls comprised 58% of victims; 80% of cases were reported from Punjab, with most abuse occurring at home.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-10: Pakistan reports 3,172 violence cases in first half of 2026

Pakistan reported 3,172 violence cases in the first half of 2026, including 644 murders and 132 honour killings. Punjab was the hardest-hit region, accounting for 74 per cent of all incidents.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/pakistan-reports-3172-violence-cases-in-first-half-of-2026

### 2026-08-06: Pakistan records 1,914 child abuse cases in first half of 2026

Sahil’s report says Pakistan logged 1,914 child abuse cases Jan‑June 2026, including 1,015 sexual assaults and 558 abductions; girls 58% of victims and most perpetrators were known to the children.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/pakistan-records-1914-child-abuse-cases-in-first-half-of-2026

### 2026-07-24: Pakistan records 3,172 gender‑based violence cases in first half of 2026

Pakistan logged 3,172 gender‑based violence cases Jan‑Jun 2026, most in Punjab, covering murders, torture and abductions; protests call for stronger law enforcement.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/pakistan-records-3172-genderbased-violence-cases-in-first-half-of-2026

### 2026-07-13: Pakistan's femicide crisis: thousands of women killed with few prosecutions

Pakistan's 2025 report documents 470 honor‑related women murders, domestic‑violence killings and few prosecutions, prompting calls to end the forgiveness clause and drop the term “honor.”

12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/pakistan-reports-470-women-killed-in-honour-crimes-in-2025

### 2026-06-27: Pakistan probes deaths of two women in separate gender‑based violence cases

In Pakistan, an 18‑year‑old domestic worker died after a botched abortion linked to sexual assault, prompting murder charges, while another 18‑year‑old woman's body was exhumed in Karachi amid accusations of sp

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/pakistan-probes-deaths-of-two-women-in-separate-genderbased-violence-cases

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Cite as: Pakistan gender‑based violence crisis. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/pakistan-femicide-and-gender-violence
