How to Report Child Abuse in Punjab: Call 1121 or 15
Report child abuse in Punjab on the 1121 helpline or WhatsApp 0335 5751121. Who to call, what to say, what the Bureau can do and the penalties in the law.
To report child abuse in Punjab, call the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau helpline 1121, or send a WhatsApp message to 0335 5751121. If the child is in danger right now, call the police on 15 first. You do not need to be a parent or relative to report.
You do not need proof to make a report. You only need a real worry. The officers check the facts.
We read the Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children Act 2004 on the Punjab Code, the child sections of the Pakistan Penal Code on the Pakistan Code, and the Bureau's own contact and services pages on 1 October 2026.
Who to call first depends on the danger
Call 15 when a child faces harm at this moment. Call 1121 when you are worried about abuse, neglect, begging or a child living on the street. The Bureau can rescue a child, and the police can arrest the person who caused harm.
| What is happening | Who to contact | Number |
|---|---|---|
| A child is being hurt now | Punjab Police | 15 |
| Abuse, neglect or exploitation you know about | Child Protection and Welfare Bureau | 1121 |
| You want to send details or photos of a place | Bureau WhatsApp | 0335 5751121 |
| A child is begging or living on the street | Bureau helpline or district office | 1121 |
| Abuse images or blackmail online | Cybercrime wing, plus police | See below |
The Bureau's head office is at Anguri Bagh Scheme, Shalimar Link Road, Lahore, and its office line is 042 9925 0276. Its contact page lists district offices in Gujranwala, Multan, Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal, Rajanpur, Kasur, Sargodha, Hafizabad, Dera Ghazi Khan, Toba Tek Singh, Attock and Muzaffargarh. The page gives 1121 as the number for Attock and Muzaffargarh.
Save the full list of emergency and helpline numbers in Pakistan on your phone.
How to report child abuse to the Bureau, step by step
Call 1121, give the child's location, say what you saw, and leave a number where officers can reach you. Write down the time of your call. If nothing happens, follow up with the district office or the online complaint form.
- Make sure the child is not in danger right now. If they are, call 15 before anything else.
- Call 1121. The Bureau says the helpline gives prompt help to children facing violence, exploitation, abuse or neglect.
- Give the place first. Say the city, the area, the street and a landmark. Officers cannot help a child they cannot find.
- Say what you saw or heard, in plain words. Give dates and times if you know them. Do not guess at things you did not see.
- Leave your phone number. Officers may need to ask you more. You can ask them to keep your name private.
- Note the time and follow up. Call the district office, or use the complaint form on cpwb.punjab.gov.pk, which asks for your name, CNIC, address, phone and the complaint.
Do not question the child again and again. Do not confront the person you suspect. Both can put the child at more risk and can weaken a later case.
What the Bureau can do under Punjab law
A child protection officer can take a child at risk into custody and must bring the child to a Child Protection Court within 24 hours. The court must decide the case within one month and can place the child with a safe person.
The law behind this is the Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children Act 2004. It covers anyone under 18. Its list of children who need protection includes a child who is begging, has no home, is being abused or exploited, is at risk from child labour, or is abandoned.
- Rescue. Under section 24, an officer can take the child into custody and must produce them before the court within 24 hours.
- When the parent is the problem. If the child lives with a parent or guardian, the officer reports to the court first. The exception is when the child is found begging, or the parent is the one accused of the offence.
- Police help. Section 15 says a station house officer must give police help when a child protection officer asks for it.
- A fast decision. Section 23 says the court must finally decide a case within one month.
- A safe home. Under section 28 the court can send the child to a child protection institution or give custody to a suitable person.
The Bureau's rescue page says its officers have served 86,889 children across the province.
Child sexual abuse and cruelty are crimes with long sentences
Sexual abuse of anyone under 18 carries 14 to 20 years in prison and a fine of at least Rs 1 million under the Penal Code. Cruelty to a child carries one to three years, a fine, or both. Report these to the police.
We read both sections in the Pakistan Penal Code on the Pakistan Code.
| Offence | Section | Punishment in the law |
|---|---|---|
| Sexual abuse of a person under 18 | 377A and 377B | 14 to 20 years and a fine of at least Rs 1 million |
| Cruelty to a child | 328A | 1 to 3 years, or a fine of Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000, or both |
| Using a child for begging | Punjab Act, section 36 | 3 months to 5 years and a fine up to Rs 100,000 |
Section 377A covers touching, exposure, filming and any sexual conduct with a child, with or without so-called consent. Consent does not count when the person is under 18.
For a sexual abuse case, go to the police station for the area and ask for an FIR. You can later check the FIR online. If the family cannot pay for a lawyer, a free lawyer in Punjab through the legal aid system is an option.
If the abuse involves photos, videos or blackmail on a phone, keep the evidence but do not share it with anyone. Then report the cybercrime as well as going to the police.
Signs that a child may need help
Look for sudden changes. A child who becomes afraid of one person, stops eating, has injuries nobody explains, or is kept out of school may need help. One sign alone proves nothing, but a pattern is worth a call.
- Bruises, burns or injuries with no clear reason.
- Fear of going home, or of one adult.
- A young child working long hours, begging or selling goods at signals.
- Sexual words or behaviour that does not fit the child's age.
If a child tells you about abuse, stay calm and believe them. Say it is not their fault. Do not promise to keep it secret, because you will need to tell people who can help. A missing child is a separate emergency, and reporting a missing person follows its own route.
A false report is different from an honest mistake
An honest report that turns out to be wrong is not a crime. The Punjab law punishes only information that is false, frivolous or made to harass someone, and the court must hear the informer before ordering any compensation.
Section 31 caps that compensation at Rs 50,000. So report what you honestly saw. That is all the law asks.
Common questions
What is the child protection helpline number in Punjab?
It is 1121. The Bureau also lists a WhatsApp number, 0335 5751121, and an office line, 042 9925 0276.
Can I report child abuse without giving my name?
You can ask the officers to keep your name private. Leaving a phone number helps them, because they may need more details to find the child.
Do I need proof before I report?
No. You need an honest worry and the facts you know. Checking the facts is the job of the Bureau and the police.
What happens to the child after a report?
An officer checks the case. If the child is taken into custody, a Child Protection Court must see the child within 24 hours and decide the case within one month.
Can the Bureau act against a parent?
Yes. If a parent is accused of the offence, the officer can take the child into custody straight away. In other cases the officer reports to the court first.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 1 October 2026. We read the Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children Act 2004, as amended, on punjablaws.punjab.gov.pk, including sections 3, 15, 23, 24, 28, 31 and 36. We read sections 328A, 377A and 377B of the Pakistan Penal Code on pakistancode.gov.pk. We read the Bureau's contact, helpline, rescue, legal and complaint pages on cpwb.punjab.gov.pk for the numbers, offices and figures. We did not call 1121, so we cannot confirm its hours or waiting times.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
