Underage sisters hospitalised after brutal beating by stepfather in Karachi

• Girls aged 8, 16 hospitalised with injuries
• FIR registered under attempted murder charges.
• Abuse signs 5–6 days old: police surgeon.

KARACHI: A disturbing incident of child abuse surfaced in Shahnawaz Bhutto Colony, North Karachi, where two underage sisters were brutally beaten by their stepfather, police said on Wednesday.

An FIR was registered at Khawaja Ajmer Nagri Police Station on the complaint of the girls' maternal uncle, who alleged that his sister Bushra’s second husband had a history of violence towards her daughters. 

The FIR includes charges under sections related to attempted murder.

According to the complaint, after Bushra remarried, she took both her daughters, aged eight and sixteen, to live with her new husband, who frequently subjected them to physical abuse. The uncle said he was informed of their deteriorating condition the previous day, after which they were rushed to the hospital.

Police said the stepfather fled the scene after the girls were hospitalised and has been absconding since.

Dr Sumaiya, Police Surgeon, said the signs of physical abuse on the girls’ bodies appear to be five to six days old. Samples have been sent for chemical analysis, and confirmation regarding sexual assault will follow once test reports are received.

The case highlights growing concerns over child abuse in Pakistan. A report released by the Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO) last month revealed that 7,608 cases of violence against children were reported in 2024 alone—an average of 21 cases per day. 

Sindh reported 354 such cases last year, including 19 each of physical and sexual abuse and 152 kidnappings, none of which resulted in a single conviction.

SSDO’s Executive Director, Syed Kausar Abbas, called the conviction rates “unacceptably low” and advocated for structural reforms including specialised child courts and better legal enforcement.