Karachi: Despite the presence of strict laws against sexual harassment and exploitation of children and women, weaknesses in investigation and prosecution of allowing offenders to escape punishment and contribute to an increase in cases of abuse against children.
Recent events, including the Qayyumabad case involving unseemly videos of minors, have reinforced fears among parents and children.
Legal experts warn that although Pakistan has tightened laws in this domain, beliefs remain rare due to poor investigations and fragile prosecution. Outdated study methods and lack of modern forensic support mean that serious digital crimes, such as recording and uploading of obscene content to the dark web, often remain untested in court.
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Senior Supreme Court lawyer Hassan Sabir said the Qayyumabad case emphasizes the critical gaps in the system. “The tragedy is that the police are still investigating with conventional methods, while digital crimes require advanced technology and forensic expertise. This weakness is beneficial to the defendants and denies justice of the victims,” he noted. He emphasized that such offenses should bear additional terrorism sections due to their serious psychological influence on society.
Sabir pointed out that Pakistan has only a handful of trained digital crime and forensic experts, calling for the creation of dedicated forensic laboratories in each district, staffed by skilled staff. He also called for quick litigation in cases of abuse of children so that offenders become “an example for others.”
When he criticized law management, he said courts often delay the action under the pretext of incomplete investigations, even if the law allows them to transfer cases or add relevant sections where necessary.
