Karachi Police arrest suspected ‘Serial Child Rapist’ in dramatic operation

Karachi police have arrested a suspect linked to a series of horrific child rapes spanning several years, following a breakthrough from forensic DNA evidence that matched samples from seven victims to a single individual.

The cases, reported between 2020 and 2025 across various districts, including Malir, South, and East, involved a consistent modus operandi: the perpetrator lured vulnerable children—mostly from poor families—with promises of parrots, birds, money, treats, or rides on his motorcycle. He typically targeted boys on weekends, took them to isolated areas near the Malir River or similar secluded spots, threatened them with a knife, subjected them to violence, and committed rape before often returning them to the pickup location.

The breakthrough came when forensic laboratory results revealed that DNA profiles from seven separate rape cases belonged to the same person. This prompted Additional IG Karachi Azad Khan to form a high-level seven-member investigation team. Officers reviewed case files and found striking similarities: weekend timing, motorcycle transport, luring tactics (especially promises of parrots and cash), knife threats, and physical assault.

One 2020 case from Malir’s Sharani Goth police station described a 12-year-old boy lured with promises of parrots and 50 rupees each for him and his brother. The suspect separated the siblings, took the younger one to the river area, brandished a knife, and raped him.

In a 2022 Defense area case, a 14-year-old boy’s mother reported that her son was lured at night, returned hours later with a broken arm, after being assaulted, robbed, and raped.
Another East district case involved a 12-year-old promised birds in a cage, threatened with bone-breaking if he resisted, and severely beaten in a bushy area after a failed rape attempt.

The suspect was dramatically apprehended during an attempted assault when the child raised an alarm, and plainclothes officers—deployed in stakeouts around the Malir River and prior crime scenes after geofencing and surveillance—intervened immediately.

Police Superintendent Usman Sadozai stated that the suspect confessed during initial interrogation, and identification parades confirmed his involvement—all seven victims positively identified him from a lineup. DNA from the suspect matched the forensic samples, providing irrefutable evidence.

Authorities revealed the suspect faces nine registered cases in Karachi alone. He is also wanted in Lahore (including one rape and theft cases) and Multan (primarily theft and brawls, with no rape cases there). Police claim he admitted to abusing “dozens” of children in Karachi, potentially over 100 across years, often targeting poor and middle-class boys with varying lures like sweets, rides, or birds/money. He reportedly avoided revisiting the same areas after each incident.

One victim’s father, whose 12-year-old son (now 15) was assaulted three years ago, told BBC Urdu that the boy—once a top student—has become psychologically disturbed, irritable, failed a class, lost friends, and requires ongoing counseling. “My sleep is gone,” he said.

SP Sadozai described the suspect as appearing psychologically disturbed, noting all victims came from impoverished backgrounds. The man was remanded for four days by a court on December 21, with prosecutors citing DNA matches in at least eight cases and ongoing probes into additional incidents.

Police emphasize strong evidence from DNA, identifications, and confessions, while warning that the true number of victims may be higher due to unreported cases from fear or stigma.