A succession of killings, assaults and sexual violence has exposed the dangers women face across Pakistan – and the failures of institutions meant to protect them.

Content warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of violence, sexual assault and murder.

Another day, another heinous crime against women, another nightmare for Pakistani women. On the morning of 20 August 2026, 45-year-old Hina Javed was found dead inside her residence in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, with signs of torture. Her husband, Dr Faisal Asghar Imam, a university medical professor, and a domestic employee were arrested in connection with the domestic abuse case.

Pakistan is currently facing an alarming rise in sexual violence against women, and the most alarming fact to focus on is that both educated and uneducated Pakistani men commit rape, sexual assault, torture and killings against women. The fact that such violence exists across all levels of society is deeply alarming.

With the recent rise in crimes, it is clearly visible how Pakistani women’s lives are increasingly under siege. In Quetta, Dr Mahnoor Nasir was attacked with acid inside Sandeman Provincial Hospital after rejecting a man’s advances, leaving her with severe burns and symbolising the lack of safety of professional women even in workplaces which are meant to be safe.

In Lahore, an 18-year-old domestic worker was raped repeatedly by her employer’s son and driver; she later died following a forced abortion, a tragedy that highlights the exploitation of poor women and the impunity enjoyed by the wealthy perpetrators.

In Karachi’s Orangi Town, a 64-year-old man brutally killed his wife with an iron rod after she refused marital relations, exposing the deep-rooted patriarchal mindset to control........

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