Missing children

Every year the government sleeps on the job, more children are terrorised


Editorial December 24, 2017

Headlines were rapidly made hours after a primary school aged child was kidnapped in an upscale Karachi neighbourhood a few weeks ago. Much to the boy’s parents’ relief, he was returned hours later, after ransom was paid. Other cases of missing children have not met with such success, impressing the Sindh High Court to criticise the provincial government for being lethargic in its pursuit of recovering missing children. The importance assigned to the matter by the inspector general of police is evidenced by his recent no-show appearance in court. His lackadaisical attitude must not go ignored and the issue of missing children needs to be tackled on a most urgent basis.

Before continuing investigation, there is discord amongst the law-enforcement agencies as to the process of reporting, registration and investigation regarding missing children. This must first be outlined straightforwardly with adequate training provided to officers. According to statistics by the NGO that filed the initial petition five years ago, 5,000 children go missing every year. Every year the government sleeps on the job, more children are terrorised. The agony felt by the mother in the former case lasted some hours but the anxiety of parents in cases that have gone ignored for years has grown exponentially and it is rather embarrassing that the petition to pursue the missing children case was filed by a non-governmental organisation, rather than there being better display of concern by government quarters.

It should be recalled that Pakistan is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, having vowed to protect children and make necessary provisions for their security. However, it has done little to explore kidnapping cases, knowing that the eventual fate of some such children has been forced prostitution or other criminal activity. The Sindh High Court must continue insisting that LEAs provide answers and better follow through. When those entrusted with the job are not even found to be applying effort nor time, replacements should be considered.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2017.

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