LAHORE (Kashmir English): Pakistan Railways Police intercepted at least 658 children ran away from their homes at railway stations across Pakistan in 2025.
Many cited hunger, lack of basic necessities and corporal punishment at home and in schools for their act of running away from homes, according to data released by the Pakistan Railways Police.
According to 2025 data, 658 children (413 boys, 245 girls) were rescued from railway stations across Pakistan.
Driven by poverty, corporal punishment, and domestic abuse, these children—mostly aged 12-17—were found in cities like Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar, and subsequently reunited with their families.
Children cited severe domestic pressures, including hunger and unemployment, alongside forced labour and physical abuse at home or school.
Worsening economic conditions led to instances of children being sent into domestic work, with some fleeing after discovering they were in forced labour situations.
Major Railway Stations
The rescued children were mainly between 12 and 18 years old. Recoveries were made across major cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Multan, Faisalabad, Peshawar, and Quetta.
The Railway Police played a crucial role in verifying the identity of the children and reuniting them with their families, highlighting a growing crisis of children fleeing harsh home environments.
Children also reported experiencing violence at schools and madrassas, compounding the pressure they already faced at home.
A senior railway police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said some girls had run away after their families refused to allow them to marry partners of their choice, while others cited online relationships formed through Facebook.
In several cases, girls arrived at railway stations carrying cash, jewellery and clothing taken from home, all of which was later returned to their families.
The Railway Police help desks regularly receive runaway children, who are reunited with their families only after thorough checks.
