Islamabad: It’s time to look beyond the headlines of child labor and face a harsher truth. The poor are losing their sons to the streets. Across our class-divided society, a chilling wave of juvenile criminality is sweeping up the voiceless children of marginalised families. This crisis isn’t an anomaly—it’s the inevitable, systemic consequence of extreme poverty and the deliberate, unequal distribution of life’s essential resources. The shattered innocence, are not just falling through the cracks; they are being pushed into the abyss, their potential destroyed by the very foundational inequalities that make hope a privilege they can’t afford.
Setting the policy standard: Marriyum Aurangzeb reiterated the CM’s uncompromising ‘red line’ against child abuse. But the critical question remains: Who will protect street children from the grip of drug barons and crime syndicates?
Violent and serious offenses are overwhelmingly committed by males. For instance, in some studies, 82% to 88% of juveniles charged with serious person offenses (homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) were male.
In past years, juveniles have been involved in a significant portion of serious violent crimes, as high as 25% of all serious violent crime involving at least one juvenile offender in some historical peak periods.
Data from countries like Pakistan often reflects high numbers of juveniles under trial due to judicial backlogs. A historical review in Pakistan noted that of reported juvenile cases, 44% were under-trial cases, and only a small fraction (6%) resulted in convictions, highlighting the high number of youth detained awaiting trial.
The majority of confined youth are generally 16 years of age or older, but thousands are under the age of 16, and a small number are even under 13 years old.
This is a complex area, as comprehensive, real-time data on the exact number of juveniles by specific crime type (especially terrorism) is difficult to obtain in Pakistan. However, it can be provided the most recent available figures on juveniles in Pakistani jails and their known involvement in serious crimes.
Based on recent reports from early 2024, the total number of juvenile prisoners (both under trial and convicted) across Pakistan is estimated to be approximately over 1,580 prisoners.
This figure fluctuates daily, but generally represents about 1.5% to 1.7% of Pakistan’s total prison population, which is around 102,000 inmates.
The vast majority of juvenile inmates are boys, with female juvenile prisoners making up a very small percentage (around 0.7% of the total juvenile inmate population).
A significant issue in Pakistan is the overrepresentation of under-trial prisoners (UTPs). A large portion of these juveniles are not convicted but are detained awaiting trial due to judicial backlogs.
Number of juveniles are between 600 to 700 in Punjab, 180 to 200 (mostly under-trial) in Sindh, 300 to 350 in KP, while, overall estimate in entire country is over 1580, majority of them are under trial.
A major systemic problem is the lack of proper birth registration, which makes age determination difficult. Many children without documentation are initially registered and detained as adults, which means the reported juvenile figures might be an underestimate.
While no national, real-time breakdown exists for all juvenile inmates, sample studies and specialized reports highlight the involvement of juveniles in serious offenses.
A study conducted on incarcerated juveniles in Camp Jail, Lahore, found that 31.1% of the participants were involved in cases of murder or rape.
Research focusing on children facing the most severe penalties found a trend where most identified children were charged with murder (Section 302 and rape (Section 376) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
A concerning finding is the trend where juveniles are often used as tools or prompted by adults (co-accused) to commit these serious offenses, as adults know that juveniles are afforded certain protections under the law, such as protection from the death penalty.
The distressing question echoes through the conscience of society, a haunting accusation that refuses to be silenced: “Who bears the ultimate responsibility for forcing these young lives onto the precipice of crime?” The answer, unequivocal and damning, falls squarely upon the shoulders of the ruling establishment and political architects. They stand guilty of a profound neglect—a deliberate failure to envision a future for the voiceless youth, leaving them adrift without the guiding anchor of education or the promise of opportunity. By this devastating omission, they have effectively condemned an entire generation of juveniles to ruin.
Published in The NEWS on November 23, 2025.
