Hina Javaid, who was recently found brutally butchered in her home and whose case has become a top story these days, will continue to be the focus of a police case for days, and the report will also include a corresponding figure. But what about the women whose cases aren't emphasised? They neither report to the police nor appear in any official reports.
Violence itself is a problem in Pakistan, but even more troubling are the incomplete statistics on gender based violence. In Pakistan, various organisations record incidents of gender-based violence, but their procedures are neither comprehensive nor reliable. Some cases are reported to the police, others gain media attention, while many go unreported. As a result, the cases that come to light portray only those that are reported.
According to Sahil's January-June 2026 report, 3172 cases of Gender-based violence have been reported. This figure includes murders, abductions, torture and honour killings. Yet these numbers capture the cases that are reported; many incidents may never reach the police, the media or official records.
But why do so many cases go unreported? First of all, fear of the abuser. A woman may fear that reporting him will even make him fiercer. Then comes family pressure. Families may feel that reporting will damage their reputation. For a woman who is financially dependent on her husband or family, seeking legal action may make her think: how will she survive without financial support? Social disgrace further dissuades reporting, as women may fear being blamed or shamed. These obstructions make it hard for victims to report the violence they faced.
Why are missing values important? Without reliable data, the government cannot know where the problem is critical. It also cannot know where security arrangements are needed. Resources may be misallocated. Shelters may not be accessible where they are most needed. Police training may be unsuccessful in targeting the areas where it is most needed. Policymakers may struggle to formulate effective policies. They may also struggle to identify whether violence is increasing or decreasing.
Another problem in Pakistan is that the available data is collected from fragmented sources: Reported cases from the police, injured victims treated in hospitals, cases monitored by the NGO's, cases litigated in the courts and incidents covered by the media. The problem is that none of these sources presents a broad picture. Pakistan needs to create a system that can bring fragmented sources into a cohesive picture of Gender Based Violence.
Pakistan needs to establish a core system, like a national database, to gather and manage data from different institutions such as police, hospitals, courts, and NGOs. This would help determine the scale of violence. Standardised data can ensure accurate analysis. The government should work on reporting institutions and make them accessible for victims to report. This would encourage more women to report incidents without fear. The government should publish regular reports on GBV and ensure privacy; this will help in the identification of perpetrators, the number, nature, and progress of cases, without violating the privacy of the victim.
Pakistan cannot overcome Gender-based violence without reliable data. The government must establish a central data collection and reporting system to measure the scale of the violence and to make adequate laws. However, the purpose of collecting data should not be limited to producing reports; it must lead to practical action and effective policymaking for Gender-based violence. So that victims' suffering does not remain forgotten.