Missing Person: Judge reprimands police chief

LAHORE:

Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday scolded the inspector general of Punjab Police (IGP) Javed Iqbal for his excuses regarding the police’s failure to recover a girl allegedly kidnapped six years ago.

The judge was hearing a petition filed by Okara’s Rahmat Bibi for the recovery of her daughter Kaneez Bibi who was kidnapped six years ago.

The IGP and the Okara DPO appeared before the court on Tuesday and the IGP said the police had been unable to trace the girl.

He said her record was not available with NADRA. His statement irked the judge, who said, “Had it been a police officer’s child, the whole department would be on the look out.

But in case of an ordinary citizen, the police are doing nothing.”

“What will happen if someday your son goes missing? Will you remain as cold?” the judge asked the IGP.

If the top police officer of the province had become so helpless then who would maintain law and order in Punjab, the judge added.

He said he would refer the IGP’s statement to the chief minister to show him how incompetent the IGP is.

The judge then reserved verdict on the petition.



Published in The Express Tribune, August 3^rd, 2011.