Abducted girl recovered after LHC CJ's ultimatum to police high-ups

CJ Ameer Bhatti had told IGP, CCPO they would be dismissed from service upon failure to recover the kidnapped girl

LAHORE:

A girl who was abducted from Lahore recently was recovered within a few hours after Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Ameer Bhatti warned the police high-ups that they would be sacked upon failure to recover the 10th grader by 10pm on Sunday.

CJ Bhatti had given an ultimatum to the IGP, the Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) and others that they will "no more be in service” if the abducted student wasn't recovered tonight.

The LHC chief justice had earlier taken notice of the abduction within the Shadbagh police precincts last week when the girl went missing while returning home with her brother after her matriculation exams.

On Sunday night, as the proceedings commenced, the IGP, CCPO Lahore and other officials appeared before the court.

CJ Bhatti came down hard on the police high-ups over their failure to recover the girl. The IGP told the court that the police was searching for the girl in Sahiwal.

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At this, the judge said, “How could the girl be taken to Sahiwal, away from your reach," to which the officials had no answer.

The judge then told the officials he would now write to the prime minister to remove them from service.

Judge Bhatti further said, "The girl is like a daughter to me and you should also consider her as your daughter. You should have closed down all routes."

The IGP, in response, accepted that it was a failure on police' part to not close down the city routes.

Subsequently, the judge ordered that the girl be recovered by 10pm the same night. The IGP sought more time for the recovery, which the judge denied and adjourned the proceedings till 10:30pm.

As the court resumed proceedings, the IGP informed the court that the abducted girl had been recovered from Arifwala.

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The girl's father, Zulifqar Ali, and uncle were present in the courtroom, with Ali confirming her recovery.

Additional Advocate General Punjab Jawad Yaqoob apprised the court that the girl had spoken to her family via video call.

CJ Bhatti admired the police officials who made the recovery possible, and wrapped up the proceedings.

Earlier, an FIR was registered on the complaint of Zulifqar Ali in Shadbagh police station under Section 365B of PPC against a man, Abid and two other unidentified persons for the abduction of his daughter on May 21 at gun point when she was returning after her matriculation exams.