Crime against children seems to be on the rise in the country as a minor girl and teenage boy were sexually assaulted while a mentally-retarded girl survived rape attempt by a neighbour in separate incidents on Tuesday.

According to police, in Tatly Aali area of Gujranwala, a rickshaw driver raped a six-year-old girl, whom he would pick and drop at school.

On Tuesday, the accused came to pick up the minor on a bike instead of the rickshaw. He took her to an empty shop where he abused her. Later, he threw the victim kid outside her house in critical condition.

Police later arrested the rickshaw driver and registered a case against him on the application of the victim’s parents.

In another incident in Kamoke, an attempt to sexually assault a mentally-retarded girl was foiled by her uncle.

33-year-old suspect named Imran barged into the neighbouring house when the 14-year-old mentally retarded victim girl was alone.

He allegedly attempted to assault the special girl but she was saved as her uncle arrived on time, forcing the accused to flee the place. The accused was later arrested by the police.

In Attock, a teenaged boy fell victim to the carnal desire of a man in Bhattian area.

13-year-old Mujtaba was allegedly assaulted by a man named Tariq when the former was in fields for cutting fodder for his cattle.

Attock Police have registered FIR on behalf of the victim’s father and arrested the accused. The teenager was shifted to DHQ Hospital for medical examination.

Child abuse has become one of the biggest challenges in Pakistan and frightening reports in recent years have shown the level of children’s vulnerability.

Despite the introduction of rigorous punishments for sexual offences against children, the menace seems to be on the rise – probably because of poor implementation of child protection laws.