Lahore Logs 1,108 Sexual Assault Cases in Eight Months

LAHORE: Sexual offences continued to be reported across Lahore in the first eight months of 2026. Police records show 574 cases of sodomy, 498 cases of rape and 36 cases of gang rape registered in the city during the period.

Together, the figures amount to 1,108 registered sexual-offence cases in eight months. That averages to more than four cases a day across the provincial capital.

According to police records, Saddar and Cantt divisions topped the sodomy figures with 128 cases each. Model Town division followed with 100 cases and City division recorded 92. Iqbal Town division reported 90 cases and Civil Lines division reported 36.

Saddar division also recorded the most rape cases, with 132. Model Town division registered 98 cases and Cantt division 92. Iqbal Town division reported 80 cases, City division 56 and Civil Lines division 40.

Model Town division recorded the most gang rape cases, with 10. Cantt division registered 9, while Saddar and Iqbal Town divisions recorded 6 each. Civil Lines division registered 3 cases and City division reported 2.

Division-wise Breakdown (January–August 2026)

The data show that sexual crime in Lahore is not limited to one part of the city. Saddar, Cantt and Model Town together account for a large share of all three categories. These divisions include dense residential neighbourhoods and fast-growing peri-urban settlements on the city’s southern and eastern edges.

Civil Lines division, which covers much of the older administrative centre, recorded the lowest sodomy and rape figures. City division recorded the fewest gang rape cases.

The figures reflect registered First Information Reports (FIRs), not the full extent of the crime. Sexual offences are widely considered among the most under-reported crimes in Pakistan, as in much of the world, because victims and families often fear stigma, pressure and long trials. A rise in registered cases can partly reflect greater willingness to come forward. It does not necessarily mean incidence alone has risen.

Rape is punishable under Section 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Unnatural offences, the category police record as sodomy, fall under Section 377.

The Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act 2021 introduced special courts for sexual offences, special investigation units and a national sex offenders register. It was meant to speed up trials and improve evidence collection, including forensic and DNA testing, which courts increasingly treat as central to convictions.

Punjab has also expanded women’s protection helplines and virtual reporting channels through its Safe Cities infrastructure, so complainants can reach police without first visiting a station.

The figures follow other police data released this month. The Lahore Times recently reported that Lahore recorded 194 murders and 331 attempted murder cases this year. Together, these numbers give a clearer view of the pressure on the city’s six police divisions.

The records do not say how many suspects have been arrested, how many cases have been sent to court, or how many have ended in convictions. They also do not show how many victims were minors.