268 women gang-raped in Punjab

ISLAMABAD: In a shocking revelation, the Human Rights Committee (HRC) has disclosed that 268 women fell victim to gang rape in Punjab over the past four years.

According to the HRC convener, Dr. Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto, a report submitted by the National Commission Punjab provided data on the incidents of violence against women in the region.

In a horrifying trend, a total of 3,914 women were raped, and 1,026 lost their lives due to gender-based discrimination during the same four-year period.

The compiled data from the last four years paints a grim picture, with 18,460 reported incidents of violence against women in 2019, 18,218 in 2020, 24,554 in 2021, and 24,552 in 2022.

The breakdown of the reported cases reveals that 17,316 women were kidnapped, 3,914 experienced sexual assault, and 1,026 lost their lives to violence.

The incidents included 1,715 cases of violence against women, 268 instances of gang rape, 76 women falling victim to honor killings, 41 cases of acid attacks against women, and 58 women raped by their blood relatives.

Additionally, the report cited 14 cases of forced marriages and 13 cases of underage marriages, while six women became victims of family feuds.

These alarming statistics serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for effective measures to protect and empower women in Punjab. Authorities and civil society must work collectively to address the issue and bring an end to such heinous acts.