In a dark room of Lahore’s old city, a woman, nearly 20 years old, waits for her next client. Her life is suffocated in the narrow streets of red-light areas. She is young, but her face carries emotions of silence, suffering, and survival as if of an old woman. She is suppressed by her poverty and the power of exploitation.

Pakistan’s brothels, commonly known as kothas, are no secret at all. They exist in urban centers and towns and are mostly hidden behind the names of beauty salons or dance halls. Despite police raids, they are in operation because of an illicit link between police and the owners of brothels. As a result, a system emerges in which justice is delayed, denied, and manipulated. These brothels are not just sites of exploitation, but they are the symbols of our justice system.

Section 377 of the Pakistan Penal Code criminalizes “carnal intercourse against the order of nature.” It is clearly stated that any kind of conjugal act is illegal. While it is framed as a moral and legal safeguard, in practice, it has a deep connection with Pakistan’s underground brothel culture. How are these brothels still functioning in an Islamic republic?

Red-Light Areas Within Pakistan and Their Legal Status in Pakistan

During the Mughal reign, courtesans were trained as dancers and singers; they used to entertain the elite and the royals. Over time, this tradition faded away, and brothels are no longer a place of art and cultural heritage; rather, they have become a place of sexual activities. The line between entertainment and exploitation is thin. Nowadays, performances in brothels are served under the cover of prostitution.

Modern red-light areas such as Heera Mandi in Lahore and Napier Road in Karachi host brothels, dance halls, and also escort networks. Escorts are often known as independent entertainers, but it is a dark reality that they are also exploited by their owners.

Legally, Pakistan criminalizes all extramarital sexual activities under the Hudood Ordinances. But still, many brothels are operating in Pakistan. This shows the nexus of elites and institutions that enables exploitation. Safety is the biggest issue in Pakistan, and what is being done in this case? It is truly said by Thomas Hobbes that “covenants, without the sword, are but words, and of no strength.” Pakistan’s brothel laws exist on paper, but without enforcement, they are useless, leaving women to suffer........

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