SHC directs Sindh IG to use technology to recover missing children

SHC bench was hearing plea filed by NGO seeking recognising disappearance of children as a cognisable offence

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered on Thursday the Sindh inspector-general (IG) to ensure modern technology was used to trace and recover 13 children who are reportedly missing in the province.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, passed these directives while hearing a petition filed by a children rights group, Roshni Research and Development Welfare, seeking recognising the disappearance of children as a cognisable offence and registration of FIRs of such offences across the province.

During the course of the proceedings, the petitioner had produced a list of 19 children who were missing and sought direction for the senior police officials to locate them.



The missing children included Kubra, Muslim Khan, Rabia, Gul Sher, Ibrahim Javed, Bocha, Muhammad Adnan, Muniza, Noor Fatima, Saima, Abdul Wahid, Muhammad Haneef, Sania and Sohail Khan.

On Thursday, SSP Muqaddas Haider, who has been nominated by the IG to get FIRs regarding disappearance of these children registered at the concerned police stations, filed a progress report on behalf of the provincial police chief.

The IG's report stated that six out of the 19 missing children had been recovered so far. "Two of the children, Mehak and Ibrahim, have recently been found," he added.

The police chief undertook that efforts were under way to make sure other missing children were also found and reunited with their families.



Justice Phulpoto ordered IG Allah Dino Khawaja to personally supervise investigation into cases of the 13 remaining missing children and ensure their recovery. The bench directed the IG to ensure that latest modern technology was used to locate the missing children.

Case history

For nearly six years, the judges have time and again issued orders and directives to the provincial home secretaries and IGs to take steps for the recovery of minors who go missing.

The case was heard by different judges, including the provincial chief justice, on 41 occasions since the petition was filed on January 17, 2012.

The petitioner, Roshni Research and Development Organisation, a non-governmental organistion (NGO) working for child protection and safety, is litigating to get the disappearance of children recognised as a cognisable offence and subsequently FIRs in this regard should be registered in Sindh.



"Some 5,000 to 6,000 children go missing every year," according to lawyer Naveed Ahmed, who represents the group while referring to data compiled by the NGO.

He said that police used to record complaints about missing children in their daily diary, roznamcha, at the police station instead of registering an FIR.

Advocate Ahmed argued that if a missing child was not rescued within 48 hours, the police should register a kidnapping case and investigate the matter according to the law.

He had been pleading to the court to issue direction to the home department, IG and other respondents to submit a report on whether complaints of missing children were registered and investigated and order special training of the police to deal with such cases.