LAHORE – Punjab recorded 195,787 reported cases of violence against women and girls between 2021 and 2025.
It accounted for around 82 percent of the total gender-based violence cases reported across Pakistan during the five-year period, according to the National Gender-Based Violence Crime Report 2021-25 by Peace & Justice Network Pakistan.
The report said domestic violence accounted for 14,824 cases in Punjab, including 3,746 cases in which women were killed. The province also recorded 830 honour killings and 442 burning cases, including 143 acid attacks and 299 stove-burning cases.
Sexual violence remained another major category, with 20,560 cases reported during the period. These included 16,827 rape cases, 2,183 gang rape cases, 189 cases of custodial sexual violence and 1,361 incest cases.
Kidnapping and abduction represented the largest reported category in Punjab, with 90,965 cases recorded between 2021 and 2025. The report said another 68,165 cases fell under forms of gender-based violence not separately classified in the listed categories.
Punjab recorded 23,032 cases in 2021, rising to 28,080 in 2022 and 35,238 in 2023. Reported cases increased sharply to 52,824 in 2024 before reaching 56,613 in 2025.
The report noted that the high number of cases in Punjab does not necessarily indicate a higher incidence of violence alone. It said stronger reporting mechanisms, greater access to police and justice institutions, and higher awareness may contribute to higher reporting.
The report also cautioned that police statistics represent only incidents entering the formal reporting system and may not capture the full extent of violence experienced by women and girls.
