Pakistan witnessed a troubling rise in violence during the first six months of 2026, with 3,172 new cases of violence reported during the period, according to a recent report.
Despite continued convictions by courts, the figures point to a persistent violence problem, with a large proportion of cases linked to gender-based violence.
According to the report, 3,172 new incidents of violence came before the courts between January and June 2026. The cases included 644 killings and 462 kidnapping incidents, highlighting the scale and range of violence reported during the six-month period.
A significant number of the reported incidents were related to gender-based violence, raising concerns over the safety of vulnerable groups.
132 people killed in honour-related violence
The report said 132 people were killed in the name of honour during the first half of the year.
In around 27% of these cases, the alleged killer was an acquaintance of the victim, while husbands were identified as the killers in 13% of murder cases, according to the report.
The figures highlight the role of people known to victims in a significant proportion of violent incidents.
People aged 21 to 30 years recorded a high rate of involvement in killings or murder cases.
The trend has raised further concerns about violence among young adults and the need for timely measures to prevent such incidents.
Punjab accounts for 74% of incidents
Punjab recorded the highest share of reported violence during the six-month period, accounting for 74% of all incidents. Sindh followed with 17%, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa accounted for 6% of reported cases.
Another 3% of incidents were reported collectively in Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad and Azad Kashmir.
The report noted that a large number of cases were linked to gender-based violence, underlining continuing concerns over violence against women and other vulnerable individuals.
The findings suggest that legal action and court convictions alone have not been sufficient to prevent new incidents from occurring.
The continued rise in reported violence has raised fears that the situation could worsen if timely and effective measures are not taken.
