Online Grooming Puts Pakistani Children at Risk as Experts Warn of Growing Abuse

 A Pakistani teenager’s experience with online grooming has highlighted the growing risks children face on digital platforms.

Zara Shah, a pseudonym used for her protection, was 17 when a stranger approached her while she was playing an online computer game. What began as a friendly conversation eventually turned into threats and sexual exploitation.

“We started chatting while playing an online game, and he began acting like a friend,” Zara said. She later faced pressure to share intimate images and threats that her family would be contacted if she refused.

Her experience reflects a wider problem. According to a recent report by the United Nations children’s agency, around 1.5 million children in Pakistan experienced online sexual abuse in a single year.

Grooming Often Begins With Trust

The UNICEF report found that about 85 per cent of perpetrators were known to victims aged between 12 and 17.

Daniel Kardefelt, the report’s lead author, said online abuse can begin with an apparently harmless interaction.

Perpetrators may initially approach children through gaming, social media or promises of friendship. They can then spend months building trust.

Information shared publicly on social media can also be used to make these approaches more convincing.

For teenagers, the danger may not become clear until the relationship has already developed.

Fear and Stigma Keep Children Silent

In Pakistan, many children do not report online abuse.

The UNICEF report found that 71 per cent of victims did not tell anyone about their experiences. No child surveyed reported the abuse through formal channels such as police, helplines or social workers.

Experts say stigma and fear are major reasons for the silence.

Mehek Naeem, director of Lahore-based children’s rights organisation Pahchaan, said about 44 per cent of reported abuse occurred entirely online.

Platforms such as Snapchat and WhatsApp were among the common settings, according to the organisation.

Girls can face additional risks. Online sexual extortion can lead to restrictions on their movement or even withdrawal from school.

For Zara, the fear of her family discovering what had happened prevented her from seeking help.

She feared that speaking out could result in restrictions on her education and freedom.

“I was, and am, scared,” she said. “I live in fear.”

Pakistan Faces a Growing Digital Safety Challenge

The risks are increasing as more Pakistani children gain access to the internet.

UNICEF estimates that about 74 per cent of children aged 12 to 17 in Pakistan are internet users.

The rapid expansion of digital access has therefore increased the need for stronger online safety measures.

Punjab recently passed a resolution seeking to prevent children under 16 from using social media. However, the proposal has faced criticism from digital rights advocates.

Digital rights activist Usama Khilji argued that such restrictions could be difficult to enforce.

He also pointed to the possibility of children bypassing restrictions through virtual private networks.

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Experts Call for Stronger Enforcement

Pakistan already has laws covering technology-related offences against children. However, rights organisations say enforcement remains a major concern.

Tahira Afrasiyab, a spokesperson for non-profit organisation Muslim Hands, said existing legal protections were not being implemented effectively.

Experts have also identified gaps in the existing legal framework.

Human rights lawyer Salman Afridi said economic vulnerability can also be exploited by perpetrators.

He described a wider chain involving grooming, inducement, coercion, blackmail and the production and distribution of abusive material.

The concern is not limited to individual incidents. Experts say technology can enable organised forms of exploitation that are difficult for families and authorities to detect.

The Human Cost of Online Abuse

For victims, the consequences can continue long after an online conversation ends.

Fear of exposure can affect education, family relationships and mental wellbeing. It can also discourage children from seeking help.

Zara’s experience began with an ordinary online game. The interaction later became a source of fear that she struggled to escape.

Her case highlights a difficult challenge for families, schools, technology platforms and law enforcement.

As children’s access to digital platforms expands, experts say protection must keep pace. Greater awareness, accessible reporting mechanisms and effective enforcement can help children seek assistance before online grooming develops into further abuse.