Pak man arrested in alleged rape of 8-year-old girl

Mansehra (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) [Pakistan], May 4 : A man was apprehended by Mansehra police on Friday for allegedly raping an eight-year-old girl the day before, authorities disclosed, Dawn reported.
According to Mansehra District Police Officer (DPO) Shafiullah Gandapur, a First Information Report (FIR) against the suspect has been lodged at the Garhi Habibullah police station.
Confirming the assault, Gandapur stated, "A case has been registered under the Child Protection Act. The suspect has been successfully arrested." He further stated, "We have collected evidence and formed a special investigation team. I am personally overseeing this case," as reported by Dawn.
In a video statement on X, Gandapur assured, "We have met the victim in the hospital today. We assure the family that justice will be served, and the authorities will punish the accused strictly according to the law."
A statement from the DPO's office stated that a deputy superintendent of police, the Garhi Habibullah station house officer, and the case's investigating officer have been directed to "conduct the investigation on merit" and ensure the accused is punished.
DPO Gandapur also instructed the Victim Support Service Team Mansehra to provide the girl with medical aid and psychological treatment.
Over the past two decades, Pakistan has witnessed a troubling shift in social development approaches, with an increasing focus on sacralising development to appease Muslim sensibilities. This trend has compounded existing challenges within Pakistan's colonial and Islamic legal framework, exacerbating the stigma surrounding gender and sexuality while elevating clerical authority above human rights advocacy.
According to Sahil, an NGO dedicated to children's welfare, a total of 4,213 child abuse cases were reported in 2023. These cases spanned all four provinces, Islamabad, and Gilgit-Baltistan, encompassing instances of child sexual abuse, abduction, missing children, and child marriages, Dawn reported.