Horror Haunts Pakistani Children’s Childhood

nasiraijaz June 10, 2025

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For a country, it should be a moment of shame and guilt if every child in the country does not get to live like a child

No child deserves to live a lost childhood or a labored childhood. No child deserves to be objectified as a symbol of sexual and physical assault

Alishba Sana

Whenever I think of Pakistani society, two thoughts cross my mind immediately. First – the women in a circle gossiping, and second would be children playing without a care. Childhood is something we understand when we get older. We realize how free it was—the way we had no stress. The only thing that scared us was not doing homework. The only thing we waited for was evenings to go and play. What a time it was. But as I have grown up and stepped into practical life, I have realized not every corner is a safe corner for children. Not every child gets a childhood. Not everyone’s childhood is memorable. Not every child gets a life that is worry-free. Not every child lives like a child.

For a country, it should be a moment of shame and guilt if every child in the country does not get to live like a child. There are many problems Pakistan faces, but nothing is as heartbreaking as seeing the young youth silently fighting for their survival. The ones who do not even know the literal meaning of “survival” are surviving, and yet no one questions this system prevailing in our society. I hope this article sheds light on how we as a nation are failing the future of our nation.

Pakistani society has a tradition of dining out or just hanging out over the weekend to just de-wind from the weekdays. When I go out with family and sit at a local café or restaurant, I always come across children engaged in child labor. Some would clean the tables. Some would clean windshields of cars. Some would take your order and bring you your food. Some would be just there, sitting in a corner begging for a penny. As soon as I come across this state of children, I no longer feel hungry. The thought of having lived a childhood, while other children do not get to live like that, breaks my heart. As a university-going student, I also sometimes sit in the canteen after long hours of classes. There too I witness the same situation. Some would beg. And even teenage boys would set up seats for us. And standing there, I question myself—how is it possible where one child gets to study and experience life at its fullest, while the other child serves other children? It’s hard to comprehend a situation like this where approximately 13.6% boys, 12.6% girls are engaged in child labor. A total of 36% child labor is from underprivileged houses.

Read: Protecting Pakistan’s Precious: A Personal Journey against Child Sexual Abuse

Another noticeable thing: rich or upper middle-class families hire children as babysitters. Even in public places, these young babysitters would look after children while the family peacefully eats at an expensive restaurant. How do they have the courage to let a child live in labor while providing their children a perfect childhood? What wrong have these children done to live like this? Just because they are poor? Just because they don’t have a nice family status? Just because their parents are not highly educated? What is their fault to be crushed in this unjust system of Pakistan? Why are they deprived of a childhood?

I, as an individual, feel guilt and shame over this situation—where I had a childhood, where my younger siblings get to experience a childhood—but close to us are some children who don’t get to live a childhood. If I can feel the shame, why not my country? Why not my government? Why not my authority-holders? Why not my policy-makers? How is Pakistan okay with prevailing child labor in society?

Child labor was not enough for exploitation, so we also gave space to sexual and physical assault against children. Physical assault against children has seen a significant rise in recent years. According to the 2023 report of Sahil Foundation, an NGO dedicated to child well-being, a total of 5,000 cases were reported in a year, where Punjab alone had 3,323 cases, contributing to 62% of child abuse and assault. In 2024, Karachi reported about 891 cases of kidnapping, which included 152 cases of sexual assault as well. 55% of girls and 45% boys have been victims of heinous crimes. Sawera, a 5 year old girl, from Gulzar-e-Hijri, was dead in a drain. That angel was brutally tortured to the point her body had missing organs, she was raped and lastly murdered. What was her fault? How many more kids, angels, pure souls would be a victim of this inhuman act? How many more till Pakistan does something for them? According to the report by the Sustainable Social Development Organization, nationwide a total of 7,608 cases were reported in the year 2024, with an average of 21 incidents per day. These alarming and rising statistics are a sign to take the matter into consideration.

Not only this, another low-level act is seen in Pakistan against children—one of them is child marriages. Where one is supposed to laugh and play, he or she is married off. Mostly young girls are given for marriages to men. In places where practices like watta satta take place, girls are married off at the ages of 5–9. In rural areas, even poor and weak families are avenged by taking in their young daughters as the price of their acts. Due to lack of education and awareness, this aspect is not covered fully. The prevailing feudalism in rural areas also is a significant contributor to the rising number of child marriages. It is hard to digest the fact that over 19 million child brides can be found in Pakistan. Ask me the amount of efforts done to take this practice down? None! There is no coverage. No efforts by anyone to stop this unethical, low-lived practice.

Child abduction is also a ‘norm’. Early 2025 witnessed 56 kidnapped children, out of which 22 are still missing. Over 74% of abducted children are reunited with families; the other 26% are either never found or are found dead after being sexually assaulted.

Since I am writing for the children in my own country, I do heartily remember the children of Palestine—every soul, every angel that has been brutally killed by Israel. My heart goes to the families lost, to the childhoods lost, to the nation colonized. May we live up to the day when we witness Palestine free again, where again life blooms.

Read: Demand the Safe Return of Priya Kumari, Kidnapped Minority Girl

No child deserves to live a lost childhood or a labored childhood. No child deserves to be objectified as a symbol of sexual and physical assault. No child should be snatched away from their family. These naïve, pure souls deserve the right to education, the right to live their dreams, the right to play along with friends, the right to be with their families, and the right to be treated as human children. Our nation needs to strictly take this matter into consideration and work on the betterment of the children. Their well-being should be prioritized more than anything. They are the future that our nation needs. Their problems should be the first thing authorities work for. It’s time we come forward and protect our children. I hope this article provides an insight into the survival of children within our society. Hopefully, one day, our society will be terror-free for children.