The latest case reported from Lahore underscores a troubling reality: despite legal reforms, women’s safety remains inadequately protected.
Two social media influencers told police they were lured to a DHA residence with the promise of brand work and, according to initial reports, assaulted at gunpoint. An FIR has been registered, police say, and evidence is being collected, with CCTV footage under review. No arrests have been made so far.
This case reflects a broader erosion of deterrence-one that is more clearly visible in official data than in public messaging. Police data shows 5,339 registered rape cases nationwide in 2024, with Punjab alone reporting 4,641. Yet conviction rates remain extremely low.
On paper, the necessary legal provisions are already in place. Parliament has established special sexual offences investigation units and crisis cells in public hospitals to ensure immediate medico-legal examinations, evidence collection, forensic processing, and FIR registration. The law also prohibits the disclosure of a survivor’s identity without written consent and imposes criminal penalties for violations. Courts have addressed harmful practices as well. In Sadaf Aziz, the Lahore High Court held that virginity testing is invasive and without forensic value, and ordered its complete discontinuation.
The difficulty lies in implementation. Procedures that exist on paper do not consistently translate into outcomes, particularly in cases that begin online and move offline. For women working in digital spaces, visibility can become a point of exposure rather than an opportunity. Data from the Digital Rights Foundation’s cyber harassment helpline reflects this pattern: 2,473 new cases were recorded in 2023, alongside 2,198 calls, contributing to 16,849 cases handled over seven years.
Pakistan has lived this cycle across class and geography. Mukhtara Mai fought for years after the 2002 assault ordered in the name of “honour,” and saw acquittals weaken accountability. The killing of Qandeel Baloch, followed by an acquittal on the basis of “family settlement,” showed how quickly social norms can override legal consequences. The motorway gang-rape case, though resulting in convictions, continues through the appellate system years later, illustrating how resolution can remain prolonged even after sentencing.
As more women enter public and digital spaces for work, the state’s responsibilities extend beyond enabling participation. They include ensuring that the systems meant to protect citizens function reliably and without delay. At a minimum, this requires that in such cases, extra efforts are ensured to secure evidence and protect complainants so that cases can be carried through to credible legal outcomes.
