A major bust by Pakistan’s cyber sleuths has ripped the veil off a burgeoning child sex abuse epidemic infiltrating both virtual and physical spaces. The FIA’s elite unit nabbed a prime culprit running a blackmail racket, seizing more than 600 illicit child videos that paint a grim picture of unchecked depravity.
The Express Tribune’s pointed editorial laments the void in governmental action, probing: What steps secure kids online? Who’s guiding parents on red flags? Efforts to unearth similar syndicates remain opaque, leaving citizens in the dark.
Offline horrors compound the crisis; gathering evidence for bodily assaults proves arduous, let alone nabbing elusive digital ghosts. Nations worldwide mandate age barriers on social apps or weave web safety into schools—Pakistan, however, banks on ad-hoc parental watchfulness sans a comprehensive policy.
Sahil’s Cruel Numbers report for early 2025 logs 1,956 cases, up 20% year-over-year: 605 kidnappings, 192 vanishings, 950 abuses, 34 coerced unions. Deep shame, retaliation dread, and institutional frailties bury many crimes, as families opt for hushed suffering over flawed justice.
Awareness drives and media spotlights fuel reporting upticks, but inflation, joblessness, and penury expose low-income kids to predators lurking on social feeds. The verdict is clear: Pakistan needs an ironclad, long-term framework to fortify child defenses against these multifaceted threats.