A gender-based violence court in Haripur has convicted a man of raping a nine-year-old girl and awarded prison terms totalling 32 years, alongside fines of Rs 300,000. Judge Shah Faisal sentenced him to 25 years for rape and another seven under KP’s Child Protection and Welfare Act, with both sentences to run concurrently. For once, a case involving the sexual assault of a particularly vulnerable child has ended in a conviction rather than disappearing into the tortuous maze of adjournments and inconclusive proceedings.
The details are heartbreaking, to say the least. In July 2020, the girl, who had an intellectual disability, was found bleeding and crying outside her home in Khalabat Township. CCTV footage helped neighbours identify the suspect, who was subsequently arrested and prosecuted. The investigation, supporting evidence and prosecution demonstrate what determined institutional effort can achieve.
Yet, the six-year wait should trouble anyone inclined to celebrate without reservation. The survivor was nine when the crime occurred. She is now approximately fifteen. An entire stretch of childhood has passed while the courts worked towards a verdict. Justice delivered eventually is infinitely preferable to justice denied altogether, although its delay carries a price that no sentence can undo.
That Khyber Pakhtunkhwa registered 1,907 child-rape cases between 2021 and May 2026 is cause enough for concern. Of these, 1,807, or nearly 95 per cent, remained under trial. More disturbing still, official records examined in October showed no child-rape convictions between 2022 and May 2026.
Nor is this solely a provincial concern. The National Commission on the Rights of Child recorded 17,348 registered cases involving sexual offences against children across Pakistan during 2025. It goes without saying that these dark numbers tell only part of the story, since fear, family pressure and social stigma can prevent sexual violence from ever reaching the police.
Pakistan’s Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act, 2021 provides for specialised investigations, crisis cells, forensic examinations and expedited proceedings. KP’s child-protection legislation offers additional safeguards. The laws, plainly, are there. Their promise depends on trained investigators, timely forensic examinations, capable prosecutors and courts equipped to hear sensitive testimony without subjecting children to further humiliation. Survivors with disabilities need particular consideration, including accessible communication, psychological care and protection throughout the proceedings.
The Haripur conviction deserves applause, particularly for the resolve shown in bringing the prosecution to its conclusion. Yet one successful case cannot conceal the thousands still awaiting judgment.
