Emergency declared in Pakistan’s Punjab province as rapes become endemic

An emergency has been declared in the Punjab province of Pakistan amid rising cases of rapes in the region. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Punjab Home Minister Atta Tarar said that an increase in such incidents was a serious issue for society and government officials. "Four to five cases of rape are being reported daily in Punjab due to which the government is considering special measures to deal with cases of sexual harassment, abuse and coercion," he was quoted as saying by Geo News. Pakistan ranks 153rd out of 156 countries, just above Iraq, Yemen and Afghanistan, on the Global Gender Gap Index 2021. Watch this video for more information