Man accused of sexually abusing over 100 children arrested
KARACHI: Police have arrested a man accused of sexually abusing over 100 children along with his accomplice in what authorities have described as one of the largest child abuse crackdowns of the year in Karachi.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Investigation Usman Sadozai said the prime suspect, identified as Imran, was involved in the sexual abuse of more than 100 boys aged between 12 and 13 years over several years. His accomplice, Waqas Khan, has also been taken into custody.
The arrests were made in the Tipu Sultan area of the city following identification by a victim. According to police, Imran was apprehended along with Waqas while allegedly planning another assault.
SP Sadozai said Karachi police had received nine formal complaints between 2020 and 2025. The investigation gained momentum after DNA evidence linked the same suspect to cases registered six years apart across different districts of the city.
A special investigation team led by DIG CIA Muqaddas Haider was constituted on January 6, and the suspects were arrested within 11 days of the team’s formation.
Police said the prime accused, a resident of Manzoor Colony who worked as a puncture repairman, used to lure children on his motorcycle and take them to secluded areas near the Malir River, where the crimes were committed.
According to investigators, the suspect would typically target children between 6pm and midnight. Authorities said they had been tracking him for an extended period before finally apprehending him.
While only nine cases have so far been officially registered, police believe the actual number of victims could exceed 100. SP Sadozai said DNA evidence matched in all registered cases and that multiple victims had independently identified the accused.
He added that evidence also linked the second accused, Waqas Khan, to one or two cases, including an incident in which both suspects were identified by the victim.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah praised Karachi police for the arrests and directed investigators to continue efforts to identify and trace additional victims. He instructed the Additional Inspector General to submit daily progress reports and emphasised that the case must be pursued strictly on the basis of evidence.
“I will not tolerate child abuse cases under any circumstances,” the chief minister said.
Later, Mahmoodabad police produced the prime suspect before the Judicial Magistrate South and requested a 14-day physical remand. The investigating officer told the court that further custody was required for questioning, adding that the suspect had admitted during initial interrogation to abusing multiple children.
The officer also raised concerns that some victims may have been killed after the abuse. After hearing arguments, the Judicial Magistrate South granted a three-day physical remand of the prime accused.
Investigations are ongoing.
