Violence against women in Afghanistan hit record levels in 2013.
The head of its human rights commission said that violent crime became increasingly brutal in 2013, a sign that hard won rights are being rolled back as foreign troops troops prepare to withdraw.
According to the Express Tribune, restoring women's rights after the Taliban were ousted by a US-led coalition of troops in 2001 was one of the main objectives of the war.
Sima Samar, chair of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) said that brutality of attacks on women had greatly intensified, the report said.
According to the report, she attributed the increase in crime to a culture of impunity and the imminent departure of international troops and aid workers, leaving women more exposed to attack.
An AIHRC spokesperson said the latest figures for 2013 showed a 25 per cent increase in cases for March through September, the report added.