Islamabad’s fight against violence — yet no convictions
On Nov 7, the city of Islamabad released a striking report from the Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO). The data, pulled via Right‑to‑Information from the police, shows 373 cases of violence against women in the first half of 2025, but not a single one has ended in a conviction. The news shocked local media and raised urgent questions about how the justice system is working on these cases.
What the numbers say
- 309 of the 373 cases—about 83 %—were tagged as rape or kidnapping. None of those reached a verdict; many were dropped before action finished.
- 42 cases involved physical abuse, 17 were harassment, only three were cyber‑crime, and two were honour‑killing reports.
- Across all categories, zero convictions were recorded.
SSDO says the numbers point to systemic gaps in how evidence is handled, how victims are protected, and how quickly courts deliver justice. “The failure to secure any convictions in hundreds of reports is a glaring failure,” executive director Syed Kausar Abbas said. “It shows the system is broken and the victims are left without justice."
Why the law matters
The story ties into a recent change to Pakistan’s Penal Code. In July, the Senate revised Section 354‑A, which had once allowed men to face the death penalty for assaulting or desecrating a woman. The new amendment strips the death penalty and limits punishment to life imprisonment or up to 25 years in jail.
A prominent lawyer commented that the removal of the death penalty could weaken a key deterrent. “The death penalty was a symbolic warning in a country where convictions are rare,” he wrote. “Bending the law could erode public confidence in justice for women.”
Section 354‑A is rarely applied, but it has proved important in landmark cases. “Legal deterrence may not stop every crime, but the law signals society’s moral limits,” Afraz, an opinion‑piece writer for The News International, explained.
Calls for action
The SSDO urges police, prosecutors, and judges to work together immediately. “We need urgent justice reforms and accountability,” the organisation’s director said. “Only by restoring trust can we protect women and stop this cycle of violence.”
Officials in Islamabad have yet to respond. The report remains a stark reminder: while women’s safety in the capital is under threat, the legal system is not delivering outcomes that match the reported crimes. As the country contemplates further legal changes, the focus must stay on turning arrests and charges into convictions that protect victims and deter future abuse.
Source: ianslive
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