HRCP concerned at low conviction rate in child, women abuse cases

LAHORE:The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed grave concern over low conviction rate in cases of violence against women and children in Punjab in 2024, stated a press release issued here Tuesday.

It said that press reports suggest that despite over 60,000 FIRs registered, only 924 suspects were convicted, while more than 2,300 were acquitted—exposing deep flaws in police investigations and accountability.

This undermines Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s stated commitment to protecting vulnerable groups. The HRCP called for the urgent reform of police practices, prosecution procedures, and meaningful support for survivors seeking justice.

This should include more effective trauma-informed and gender-sensitive investigation techniques, performance benchmarks for police officers based on the quality of investigations, expanded support systems for survivors and district-wise performance reports - accessible to the public - on prosecution and conviction rates, concluded the HRCP press statement.