Another case of child porn reported in Muzaffargarh

MUZAFFARGARH: A suspect has been detained in a child pornography case in Muzaffargarh, Punjab, as police try to curb with increasing acts of child abuse.

The police confirmed the arrest on Friday after an unsettling report of the children being enticed, abused, and recorded for dark web distribution.

Earlier in the month, police busted an international child exploitation ring tied to a Muzaffargarh gaming club, where six- to ten-year-old children were targeted.

Several children were sexually violated and videotaped in Sardarabad village, police said. The matter came to light when one of the victims contacted law enforcement.

The suspect is said to have blackmailed the children using hacked videos. A first information report (FIR) has been registered at the Saddar police station, quoting offences under sections 292 and 355 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which relate to the sale and distribution of obscene material and assault with intent to bring into disrepute, respectively.

The FIR mentions that a boy was exploited and recorded by his previous employer. The suspect has already been arrested, and police are contacting the victims for further legal procedures.

In Pakistan, punishments for sexually assaulting children can go from seven years to life term, and harsh punishments for the rape of a child, including death. Child sexual abuse is a major problem despite there being laws in place, with 3,364 reported cases nationwide in 2024, reported by the civil society report “Cruel Numbers 2024” by Sahil.

This report points out that, on average, nine children were abused per day, with the gender split revealing 53% of victims were girls and 47% boys. In another related case, five suspects were detained in April for participating in the gang rape of a child in Muzaffargarh.