KARACHI: The frequency of the rape and murder of children across Pakistan have reached alarming levels, with a teenage girl the latest to fall prey to such predatory behaviour in Karachi.

The 15-year-old was found dead at her home near the Meteorological Department’s office in the Gulistan-e-Jauhar area of Karachi. Preliminary investigation suggests that she was raped before being murdered.

According to the officials at the Mobina Town police station, the girl was home alone at the time when the incident occured with her parents away at work.

The accused, identified as Irfan, was an acquintance of the victim’s father. He had been coming to the house for the past few days to work as a labourer. Police investigation suggests that Irfan committed the heinous act after finding the girl alone at home.

The body has been shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for post-mortem, after which the first information report (FIR) would be lodged.

The incident comes a day after a man was arrested for the rape and murder of his 12-year-old niece. On the same day, a boy was raped and burnt to death in Punjab’s Pattoki.

At least 3,852 children – 2,068 girls and 1,784 boys – were sexually abused across Pakistan in 2021, revealed Sahil, an NGO working against child abuse, in a report titled ‘Cruel Number’. According to the data shared by the organisation, at least 10 children were abused every day through 2021.