100 children still missing in Sindh

Government questioned about efforts to recover missing minors

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly session on Friday was dominated by the issue of missing children.

Pakistan Muslim League – Functional (PML-F) MPA Nusrat Seher Abbasi moved a call attention notice and demanded to know the whereabouts of children who went missing in the province in 2017.

“After the Kasur incident, I want to know the whereabouts of the 100 children. What kind of action has the government taken so far?" she questioned. "A total 1,894 children of different ages went missing last year, of which 1,798 have been recovered but the government has failed to trace 100 minors," she said, referring to a non-governmental organisation report.

Abbasi said that Surjani Town, Sacchal, Ittehad Town, Mehmoodabad and Qauidabad are among areas of Karachi from where a large number of children have gone missing. "In some cases, the children themselves run away because of disputes with family members and many are taken away by agents for domestic services,” she explained. "Around 100 families are running from pillar to post, but their loved ones are still missing. What are you doing? Can you make legislation to stop this practice," she suggested.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Shamim Mumtaz, who is adviser to the chief minister on social welfare, refuted the figure and said, "Some cases of missing children have been reported, but the figure being quoted by Abbasi in not correct." She added that the Sindh government was working on a law to ensure that no one can cheat children and their families.



Development funds

The assembly dismissed a privilege motion moved by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parliamentary leader Khurrum Sher Zaman against the government for not releasing development funds to opposition members.  In his motion, Zaman said that under the community development programme, the government was supposed to release Rs40 million to all MPAs irrespective of party affiliation for development projects in their respective constituencies, but funds are only released to treasury members.

"We have also gotten thousands of votes and represent people. Why is discrimination being meted out to us?" he questioned. Parliamentary Minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro opposed the motion and said, "There is no law or rule binding the government to release funds to all MPAs sitting in this House.”

He explained that community development funds do not mean that money is released to MPAs. “These funds are utilised for the development of areas, which can be initiated through deputy commissioners of respective districts," he said.

But Zaman referred to a few examples and questioned why PPP MPAs have gotten funds under this scheme. "How can we give funds when they are not meant for MPAs? This perception is wrong," replied Khuhro. After a short discussion, the speaker moved the privilege motion in the house which was defeated with majority votes of treasury benches.



Hindu girl kidnapping

Muttahida Qaumi Movement Deewan Chand Chawla raised the issue of the alleged kidnapping of a 16-year Hindu girl from Mirpur Mathelo in Ghotki district. "Some people have kidnapped the girl two weeks ago, but no one knows her whereabouts," he said, expressing apprehension that she would be forcibly converted and married off to a Muslim man. "I am not merely alleging, but this happens frequently in Sindh," he remarked.

Khuhro assured him that the government would make sincere efforts to recover the girl.