Railway stations are a go-to destination for a large number of children and teens who run away from their homes — whether due to some family dispute or unwillingness to continue the studies. To provide help, in the form of guidance, shelter and security, to such hapless individuals, as many as 32 Help Centres of Railways Police are working round the clock at major railways stations across the country.
According to statistics, those who run away from their homes come from all types of social backgrounds and geographical areas and try to find refuge at the crowded railway stations in Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Hyderabad, Rohri, Sukkur, Multan, Khanewal, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Peshawar. These Help Centres of Railways Police provide shelter, due care, counseling and protection to such runaway individuals until their safe return back home.
A total of 927 children, including teenage girls, have been rescued from potential exploitation by the Railways Police across the country from January 1 to November 30, 2024. Such distressed children, on coming in contact with Railways police, are always taken care of throughout the country. If the whereabouts of any of these children are not found, then they are handed over to the Provincial Child Protection Bureau or NGOs like Edhi with proper acknowledgement.
These centres also provide other kinds of help to the passengers like retrieval of lost luggage. A total of 2,550 passengers were assisted in the current year in the retrieval of their lost luggage including smartphones, laptops, ornaments, expensive clothes, wallets and handbags, valuing more than Rs30 million. Furthermore, about 20,000 passengers were also provided with facilities like wheelchairs, stretchers and first aid.
Railways Police is doing its best to ensure safe custody and disposal of the runaway children and teens. If provided with adequate resources, the department will serve the public even better.
Kanwar Umair Sajid
Karachi
